How Klondike works
Klondike deals seven tableau piles, the first with one card and the last with seven, each showing only its top card. Your goal is to build four foundation piles from ace up to king, one per suit. In the tableau, cards stack downward in alternating colours, and only a king can move into an empty column.
Not every deal is winnable. With draw one and perfect play, somewhere around 80 percent of deals can be solved, and the figure drops sharply for draw three. Human win rates sit far below that, typically 30 to 45 percent, because the game hides information and a reasonable-looking move early can close off the only path to a solution.
Draw modes and win rates
| Mode | Stock behaviour | Solvable deals | Human win rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Draw one | One card at a time | ~80% | 40 – 50% |
| Draw three | Three at a time | ~35% | 10 – 20% |
| Priority | Move |
|---|---|
| 1 | Anything that turns a face-down tableau card |
| 2 | Playing from the waste rather than the tableau |
| 3 | Emptying a column you have a king for |
| 4 | Moving to a foundation, but not too early |
How to win more often
- Always prefer the move that flips a face-down card. Hidden cards are the only real unknown in the game. Every one you reveal expands your options, and a move that reveals nothing usually just spends a resource for no gain.
- Do not rush cards to the foundations. A low card sent to a foundation too early is no longer available to receive a card in the tableau. Twos and threes in particular are often more useful on the board than off it.
- Empty a column only when you have a king ready. An empty column is the most valuable thing on the board, but only if you can fill it. Emptying one with no king available wastes the opportunity and often costs you the game.
- Play from the waste pile before the tableau. When the same move is available from both, taking it from the waste keeps your tableau intact and cycles the stock, which gives you more options on the next pass.
- Plan two moves ahead before touching anything. Klondike punishes moves that look free. Before moving a card, check what it uncovers and what it blocks. A large share of lost games are lost to a move made without that check.
Frequently asked questions
Can every game of Solitaire be won?
No. Around 80 percent of draw-one deals are solvable with perfect play and full information, and the rest are lost from the moment they are dealt. Draw three is far harder, with roughly a third of deals solvable.
What is a good Solitaire win rate?
For draw one, 40 to 50 percent is a good human rate. Draw three sits closer to 10 to 20 percent. Anyone claiming a much higher figure is either restarting bad deals or playing a version that allows unlimited undo.
What is the difference between draw one and draw three?
Draw one turns a single card from the stock each time, so you can reach every card in it. Draw three turns them in groups, which means two out of every three stock cards are only reachable in a specific order. It is substantially harder.
Should I move aces to the foundation immediately?
Aces and twos, yes, since they can never be useful in the tableau. Higher cards should usually wait, because a card on a foundation cannot come back to receive a card in a column.
How do I move cards on mobile?
Tap a card to pick it up, then tap the pile you want it on. Tapping the same card again puts it down. Tapping a face-up card partway down a column picks up that card and everything below it.