Klondike is arguably the most well-known and popular solitaire card game in the world, often simply referred to as “Solitaire.” It’s the version included with Microsoft Windows since the early 90s, contributing massively to its widespread recognition.
Here’s a comprehensive overview of Klondike:
The Goal
The primary goal of Klondike is to move all 52 cards from the tableau and stock/waste piles to the four Foundation piles, building them up in ascending order from Ace to King, by suit.
The Deck
Klondike uses a standard 52-card deck of playing cards, without jokers.
The Layout (Setup)
The game begins with a specific card layout:
- The Tableau:
- Seven columns of cards are dealt from left to right.
- The first column has one card, the second has two, the third has three, and so on, up to the seventh column which has seven cards.
- Only the top card of each column is dealt face up. All other cards in the tableau are face down.
- This creates a triangular-like structure.
- The Foundations:
- Four empty spaces, usually above the tableau, designated for building up the suits.
- Each foundation starts with an Ace of a specific suit (Clubs, Diamonds, Hearts, Spades) and builds up to the King of that same suit.
- The Stock:
- The remaining cards after the tableau is dealt are placed face down in a pile called the “stock.”
- The Waste Pile:
- An empty space next to the stock where cards are dealt from the stock during play.
How to Play (Rules of Movement)
Players move cards around the layout following specific rules:
- From Stock to Waste:
- You can deal cards from the stock pile to the waste pile.
- Draw One (Easy): One card at a time is turned face up from the stock onto the waste pile. You can usually cycle through the stock multiple times.
- Draw Three (Harder): Three cards at a time are turned face up from the stock onto the waste pile, but only the top card of the three is available for play. If the top card is played, the one beneath it becomes available. You can usually only cycle through the stock three times (or once, depending on the house rules).
- From Waste to Tableau or Foundations:
- The top card of the waste pile can be moved to a tableau column or a foundation pile, if valid.
- From Tableau to Tableau:
- You can move a face-up card (or a sequence of face-up cards) from the end of one tableau column to another.
- Rule: The card being moved must be one rank lower and of an opposite color than the card it is being placed on.
- Example: A red 7 can be placed on a black 8. A black Queen can be placed on a red King.
- Sequences: If you move a card that has other face-up cards on top of it, the entire sequence (which must already be in valid alternating color, descending rank order) moves together.
- From Tableau to Foundations:
- You can move a face-up card from the end of a tableau column to a foundation pile.
- Rule: The card must be the next card in ascending order of the same suit for that foundation.
- Example: If the Heart foundation has a 5, you can place a 6 of Hearts on it. An Ace always starts a foundation.
- Turning Over Face-Down Cards:
- Whenever a face-up card is moved from a tableau column, revealing a face-down card underneath, that face-down card is immediately turned face up and becomes playable. This is a crucial way to open up new possibilities.
- Filling Empty Tableau Columns:
- If a tableau column becomes completely empty (all cards are moved out of it), only a King (or a sequence of cards starting with a King) can be moved into that empty space.
Winning the Game
You win Klondike when all 52 cards have been successfully moved to their respective Foundation piles, sorted by suit from Ace to King.
Losing the Game
You lose (or get “stuck”) when there are no more valid moves you can make:
- No more cards can be moved from the stock/waste.
- No more cards can be moved within the tableau.
- No more cards can be moved to the foundations.
- All face-down cards in the tableau are blocked from being revealed.
Tips and Strategy
- Prioritize Revealing Face-Down Cards: Your primary goal should almost always be to turn over face-down cards in the tableau. These hidden cards hold the key to unlocking new moves.
- Don’t Rush Cards to Foundations (Sometimes): While getting cards to foundations is the goal, sometimes a card is more useful in the tableau, especially if it can help reveal another face-down card or unblock a sequence. For example, don’t move a 5 of Hearts to the foundation if you need it to place a 4 of Spades on it in the tableau, which then reveals a new card.
- Empty Columns for Kings: Try to free up a tableau column as early as possible so you can place a King in it. An empty column provides a valuable “free space” to maneuver cards.
- Use the Waste Pile Wisely: Don’t just deal cards from the stock blindly. Pay attention to the order in the waste pile, especially in Draw Three, as cards might become accessible later.
- Think Ahead: Before making a move, consider its consequences. Will it block a future move? Will it free up a crucial card?
- Don’t Block Kings with Aces/Twos: Be careful not to block a King you need to move by placing an Ace or 2 of the opposite color immediately below it in a column, unless absolutely necessary.
History and Popularity
Klondike’s exact origins are a bit fuzzy, but it likely emerged in the late 19th century, possibly during the Klondike Gold Rush (hence the name). In Europe, it’s often known as “Canfield” or “Patience.” Its global explosion in popularity, as mentioned, is largely due to its inclusion with Microsoft Windows operating systems, making it one of the most played computer games of all time.