Klondike Solitaire Rules — The Definitive Reference
Updated May 17, 2026 · 6-minute read
This page is the complete rules reference for Klondike Solitaire. Whether you are learning for the first time or resolving a specific rules question, every rule is listed here exactly as it applies in standard Klondike play.
The Deck
Klondike Solitaire uses one standard 52-card deck — four suits (Spades ♠, Hearts ♥, Diamonds ♦, Clubs ♣), each running Ace through King (A 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 J Q K). No jokers. Cards are shuffled before each new game.
The Layout
- Tableau — 7 columns. Column 1 receives 1 card, column 2 receives 2, up to column 7 which receives 7 cards. That is 28 cards total. Only the bottom-most (last dealt) card in each column starts face-up; every card above it is face-down.
- Stock — 24 cards. The remaining 24 cards form the draw pile, placed face-down in the top-left corner.
- Waste pile — 0 cards at start. Cards drawn from the stock land here, face-up. Only the top card of the waste pile is in play at any moment.
- Foundations — 4 empty slots. Located in the top-right. One foundation per suit. Each is built upward from Ace to King.
Objective
Move all 52 cards to the four foundation piles. Each foundation must contain one complete suit in ascending order: A → 2 → 3 → … → Q → K. When all four foundations are complete the game is won.
Tableau Rules
- A face-up card may be placed on another face-up tableau card if it is exactly one rank lower and opposite in color. Red cards (Hearts, Diamonds) go on black cards (Spades, Clubs) and vice versa. Example: 7♥ on 8♠, Q♣ on K♦.
- A group of consecutive face-up cards that already form a valid alternating-color descending sequence may be moved together as a single unit, following the same placement rule.
- A face-down card flips face-up automatically the moment all cards on top of it are moved away.
- An empty column may only be filled by a King or a sequence beginning with a King. No other card or sequence may start an empty column.
Stock and Waste Rules
- Draw 1 mode: Clicking the stock flips one card face-up onto the waste pile. Only that card is available to play.
- Draw 3 mode: Clicking the stock flips three cards onto the waste pile. Only the top card of those three is in play; the two beneath it become available only after the top card is moved.
- The top card of the waste pile may be moved to any valid tableau column or to the appropriate foundation at any time.
- When the stock is empty, clicking it resets the waste pile back into a new face-down stock. This may be done an unlimited number of times in standard rules.
Foundation Rules
- Each foundation accepts only one suit throughout the entire game.
- The first card placed on an empty foundation must be an Ace of that suit.
- Subsequent cards must be the next rank of the same suit: 2 after Ace, 3 after 2, and so on up to King.
- Cards on foundations may not be moved back to the tableau in standard Klondike rules.
Win and Loss Conditions
- Win: All 52 cards are on the four foundations (each complete A → K in one suit).
- Loss: Klondike does not have a forced-loss condition in standard rules — you can always recycle the stock. However, some deals are mathematically unwinnable regardless of how you play them. Estimates suggest roughly 80% of Klondike deals are theoretically winnable, but a skilled player wins around 43% of games in Draw 1 mode.
Scoring (This Site)
This site awards points for efficiency — fewer moves and less time means a higher score. Moving a card to the foundation earns bonus points. Undo is always available but does not undo foundation moves in classic scoring.
Common Rules Questions
Can I move a card from the foundation back to the tableau? No — in standard Klondike rules, foundation cards cannot be returned to the tableau. Clicking a foundation card has no effect.
Can any card go in an empty column? No — only a King or a King-led sequence may start an empty column.
Can I draw from the stock when it is empty? Yes — clicking an empty stock resets the waste pile into a new stock so you can draw again.
Do I have to move an Ace to the foundation? No move in Klondike is forced. However, moving Aces (and 2s) to the foundation immediately is almost always correct because they have no tableau use.