Play Klondike Solitaire Online for Free
Klondike Solitaire is the classic card game you know and love — and the most popular version of Solitaire worldwide. The goal is to move all 52 cards to the four foundation piles, building each suit from Ace to King. Use strategy and patience to uncover hidden cards, build sequences in alternating colors, and clear the tableau.
Our free online version features smooth drag-and-drop controls, unlimited undo, intelligent hints, and daily challenges to test your skills.
Game Features
- Free to Play – No registration or download required.
- Unlimited Undo – Fix mistakes and experiment with different strategies.
- Smart Hints – Get help finding your next move when you’re stuck.
- Mobile Friendly – Play on any device with full touch support.
- Smooth Controls – Drag and drop or click to auto-move cards.
- Daily Challenges – A unique deal every day with streak tracking.
Klondike Solitaire Rules
Setup
A standard 52-card deck is shuffled and dealt into seven tableau columns. The first column gets 1 card, the second gets 2, and so on up to 7. Only the top card in each column is face-up. The remaining 24 cards form the stock pile.
How to Play
- Build the tableau by placing cards in descending order with alternating colors (e.g., red 6 on black 7).
- Move entire sequences of properly ordered face-up cards between columns.
- Uncover face-down cards by moving the cards on top of them.
- Fill empty columns with Kings or sequences starting with a King.
- Build foundations by suit from Ace to King (A, 2, 3, … Q, K).
- Draw from the stock by clicking the stock pile. In Turn 1 mode, one card is dealt; in Turn 3 mode, three cards are dealt with only the top card playable.
Winning
You win when all 52 cards have been moved to the four foundation piles.
Tips for Winning Klondike Solitaire
- Always reveal face-down cards first. More revealed cards means more options and better chances of winning. This principle applies even more in Yukon Solitaire, where uncovering hidden cards is the primary objective.
- Don’t move cards to the foundation too early. You may need low-ranking cards in the tableau to hold sequences. This is a shared strategy with FreeCell, where premature foundation moves can block critical sequences.
- Use empty columns strategically. Only place Kings in empty columns, and try to choose Kings that will help you uncover more cards.
- Cycle through the stock pile completely. Don’t forget about cards at the bottom of the stock — cycle through it multiple times. If you dislike stock pile management, try Yukon Solitaire which has no stock at all, or FreeCell where all cards are visible from the start.
- Think ahead. Before making a move, consider how it affects the rest of the tableau. Sometimes the obvious move isn’t the best one.
- Build evenly across foundations. Keep foundation heights roughly equal so you don’t strand cards that need lower-ranked cards still on the tableau.
Klondike Solitaire vs Other Variants
| Variant | Decks | Difficulty | Key Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Klondike | 1 | Medium | The classic — build by alternating colors |
| FreeCell | 1 | Medium | All cards visible, four free cells |
| Spider | 2 | Hard | Build same-suit sequences |
| Pyramid | 1 | Medium | Pair cards that sum to 13 |
| TriPeaks | 1 | Easy | Select cards ±1 from waste |
| Yukon | 1 | Hard | Move any face-up card, no stock |
Klondike is the starting point for most Solitaire players, and each variant branches in a different direction. FreeCell removes the luck element by making all cards visible. Spider Solitaire doubles the challenge with two decks and same-suit requirements. Yukon is the closest relative to Klondike but replaces the stock pile with full visibility and flexible group movement. For something completely different, Pyramid and TriPeaks are “clearing” games that don’t involve building sequences at all.
The History of Klondike Solitaire
Klondike Solitaire is named after the Klondike region in Canada’s Yukon Territory, where the famous Gold Rush of 1896–1899 drew prospectors from around the world. The game became the default meaning of “Solitaire” for most people when Microsoft bundled it with Windows 3.0 in 1990 — a decision originally made to teach users how to drag and drop with a mouse.
Since then, Klondike has become the most-played computer game in history. It spawned numerous variants including FreeCell (added in Windows 95), Spider Solitaire (added in Windows ME), and later Pyramid and TriPeaks as part of Microsoft Solitaire Collection. Today, Solitaire games are played billions of times per year across computers and mobile devices worldwide.
Frequently Asked Questions
What percentage of Klondike Solitaire games are winnable?
Research suggests approximately 79–82% of randomly dealt Klondike games have at least one valid solution. However, finding that solution requires careful play and sometimes a bit of luck.
What’s the difference between Solitaire and Klondike?
“Solitaire” is a general term for single-player card games. Klondike is the specific variant that most people mean when they say “Solitaire” — it’s the version that was bundled with Microsoft Windows and became the world’s most recognized card game.
Is Turn 1 or Turn 3 easier?
Turn 1 is significantly easier because you can access every card in the stock pile. Turn 3 only lets you play every third card, requiring more strategic planning and multiple passes through the stock.
Play More Solitaire Games
- Classic Solitaire – The same great game on our homepage
- FreeCell Solitaire – Strategic gameplay with all cards visible
- Spider Solitaire – Two-deck challenge for experienced players
- Pyramid Solitaire – Math-based card matching
- TriPeaks Solitaire – Fast-paced peak clearing
- Yukon Solitaire – Open tableau with no stock pile