Klondike Solitaire Rules

Do you love playing solitaire? If so, klondike is the perfect game for you! Here you will learn the Klondike Solitaire Rules This type of solitaire is one of the most popular versions out there, and it’s easy to see why. In klondike solitaire, your goal is to move all of the cards from the tableau to the foundation. In this blog post, we will teach you how to play klondike solitaire like a pro, by explaining the Rules of Klondike Solitaire!

Basic Rules Klondike Solitaire

Solitaire is a widely popular game that most people have heard of even if they haven’t played it. The Klondike Solitaire game is probably the most well-known example of the genre. If you’ve never played Klondike Solitaire before, keep reading and we will teach you the rules. This game should be experienced at least once in your life! You may play this card game on your own. There isn’t any need for additional players or a bank. The game is made up of a card deck with no jokers and 52 cards. Consider it like a puzzle using cards that you must solve.

Objective of Klondike

The Klondike Solitaire Rules state you play with one deck of cards. There are seven columns in all, as well as a sorting pile. Only the top card of each column is visible. All the other cards are face down. Klondike Solitaire entails moving all available cards from any position to one of the four foundation in a specified order. The four empty spaces at the top of your display are known as foundation.

The rules of Klondike are as follows

The game of Klondike Solitaire has a simple setup: you have one single pile of cards, in which the faces are down. The stack is placed face-up in the left top corner, with pictures facing down. In the right top corner are four empty slots. There are seven rows of cards; the most-up cards are shown face up at the bottom.

Klondike Solitaire game screenshot

We will explain the different parts of the setup:

  • Tableau: The 7 rows of cards. The first row contains 1 card with the image face up. The second row contains 2 cards, with the images face up. The third row contains 3 cards, the fourth row 4 cards, etc.
  • Foundation: The 4 (empty) squares in the right top corner. Together they are called the Foundation.
  • Stockpile: The pile of cards in the left top corner. These are the remaining cards after the Tableau has been laid out.
  • Waste Pile / Talon: When you turn a card from the Stockpile it will be placed face-open in the empty space next to the Stockpile. This new pile is called the Waste Pile.

Play Solitaire Klondike and how to deal with real cards (offline)

Playing cards is a pastime that dates back to the Middle Ages. The game was quite popular until about 1900, when it began to fall out of favor in the United States and Great Britain, but today many people prefer playing games like Solaire Klondike online because they are more convenient. It is, of course, feasible to play Solitaire Klondike with a physical deck of cards as well. If you want to use real cards while playing Solitaire Klondike, follow these instructions on how to deal with them.

Step 1 – Shuffle the cards

Klondike is played with 1 decks of 52 cards, without the jokers. so take the jokers out first

Step 2 – Deal the cards over 7 columns (Tableau)

Deal seven cards face down in a row from left to right. The second column is then dealt, skirting the first column. When you deal the third column, you leap over the first two columns. You continue this pattern until you finish dealing all of the columns. If you did it correctly, each column will ascend from left to right, with the initial card being 1 and the final 7 cards being 7 cards out of 78 total possible combinations.

Step 3 – Open the top card of each column

Open the cards from left to right so there are 7 cards faced-up.

Step 4 – The remaining cards form the Stockpile

Keep the remaining cards faced down so you don’t know what cards are in the pile.

Solitaire Rules: Value and order of the cards

Klondike Solitaire is a solitaire variation in which the jokers have been removed from a standard deck of cards. The suit symbols are Hearts, Diamonds, Clubs, and Spades, with each suit having its own symbol: red Hearts and Diamonds, black Clubs and Spades. The picture below shows the order of a Suit.

A Suit is made up of a series of cards that can travel in both directions, beginning with the highest value and ending with the lowest. Each number’s rank is determined by the amount of pips on it. Jack, Queen, King, and Spade are the face cards. A spade may represent either 1 or 11 depending on its suit.

Klondike Solitaire value of cards

Solitaire Rules regarding the Game Play

You play the game by moving the cards one by one to a different location. The following rules apply to moving the cards.You may move cards from:

  • The Stockpile to the Waste Pile.
  • The Waste Pile to the Tableau or to the Foundation.
  • The Tableau to another row on the Tableau or to the Foundation.
  • The Foundation back to the Tableau (advanced game).

When you move cards to the Tableau or from row to row (on the Tableau), cards must be placed in the following order.

  • Descending from King high to Ace low
  • Alternating in color: red to black or black to red

When you move cards to the Foundation, cards must be placed in the following order:

  • Each Suit is sorted into its own stack on the Foundation. There is one square dedicated to Hearts, one for Diamonds, one for Clubs and one for Spades.
  • The Ace each Suit is the first card to be placed on the stack.
  • The following cards most be placed in a sequence from low to high ending with the King.

Other Solitaire rules:

  • When you have cleared a row on the Tableau, an empty space is created. You can start a new row by placing a King on this empty row.
  • When you have managed to transfer all the cards from the Stockpile, Waste Pile and Tableau to the Foundation, you have one the game.

The 2 different main versions of Classic Solitaire Klondike

You can play 2 different versions of Klondike Solitaire: Solitaire 1-Turn Card and Solitaire 3-Turn Card. The 1-card version is easier than the 3-card version. We will explain the different versions:


klondike solitaire one draw

Klondike (Solitaire) Turn 1 card

This version is pretty straightforward. Each time you make use of the Stockpile, you take 1 card from the pile. You turn this card face open to put the card into play.


solitaire klondike 3 draw cards

Klondike (Solitaire) Turn 3 cards

This is a more difficult variation. Instead of one card, you must take three cards from the Stockpile instead. The stack of three cards is placed face up on the table. If you play the topmost card, you may then play the second card. You are free to play the third card after playing the second card.


Klondike Solitaire Scoring Rules

Traditionally, to win by the Klondike Solitaire rules, you must finish the game entirely. All of the cards must be moved to the Foundation. You win if you succeed. If you don’t, you lose. It’s as simple as that. Many distinct extensions have been developed in order to make the game more difficult and increase its appeal on the internet.

Multiple improvements have been implemented to keep the game fresh and exciting. These enhancements include, for example, a clock and scoring. You may challenge yourself even more by utilizing these functions. You can compete to achieve your personal best or strive for your best score. To make our Klondike Solitaire game more engaging, we’ve included these two features.

The scoring in our rules of the Klondike Solitaire game is based on the Microsoft Windows scoring system. You earn (or possibly lose) a number of points each time you move a card. The following are the steps involved:

  • Waste Pile to Tableau – (plus 5 points)
  • Waste Pile to Foundation – (plus 10 points)
  • Tableau to Foundation – (plus 10 points)
  • Open a new card on the tableau – (plus 5 points)
  • Foundation to Tableau – (minus 15 points)

The timer keeps track of how long it took you to complete the game. It has no impact on your score. However, if you achieve the same high score twice, the time with the fastest time will be recorded.

How is Klondike different from solitaire? 

Klondike is the same as solitaire but solitaire is not always Klondike. Solitaire is a collective name for card games you can play on your own. Klondike refers to the town Klondike in the days of the gold rush. Here is where the card game finds it origin.

How to setup the cards for Klondike solitaire?

For the setup of Klondike solitaire you first shuffle a deck of 52 cards. Deal out one row of seven cards. Only the first cards is dealt open. Six cards remain closed. Deal out a second row of six on top, skipping the first open card. Start with the second column. Deal the first card open. Repeat this until there are 28 cards on the table. One card on the first column and seven cards on the last.klondike solitaire card setup following the klondike rules

Do you flip 1 or 3 cards with Klondike?

When you start a game of Klondike you decide on 1 or 3 card game. Most usual is the 3 card game of Klondike. When you play 3 cards you are allowed to go to the pile 3 times. When you play 1 card draw Klondike you can only go trough the stockpile one time.

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