Set up of Patience Klondike
The Classic Solitaire Game's set up it easy to draw up. It is played with a standard 52 card deck with 4 suits (Heart, Diamond, Spades and Clubs).
​
In order to understand this instruction better, some technical terms upfront:
1. Tableau: Normally down facing cards, consisting a number of cards. 7 piles of Tableau cards at the start of each game. Uncovered cards or pies of cards can be moved to other piles or to the foundation.
2. Foundation: Foundation are the 4 free slots, where cards can be removed to. Cards of each foundation have to be in the sames upwards sequential starting with an ace.
3. Stock: Stock card are a deck of uncovered and squared (cards directly on top of others) cards, from which cards (1 card or 3 cards) can be drawn. Those cards are named Waste.
​
4. Waste: Waste are the card exposed from the Stock cards. In the 1 card draw version, one Waste card - each -is being uncovered. Playing the 3 card Solitaire version makes this 3.
Rules Patience Solitaire
Objective Klondike Patience
The goal of the game is to bring all 52 cards to the foundation.
Easy said, but not always possible. Should not be a reason not to play this popular card game, though.
The main objective is to move all cards to the Foundation. Since most of the online and mobile Klondike Solitaire Games include a time function, the second goal is to do this as fast as possible.
Doing so, is hard, but nevertheless games, with Vegas Scoring still let you see the progress you are making in this game. Online or mobile card game versions include a par for each set up dealt. For every card, you are able to integrate into the Foundation, you receive money or point. For those kind of Patience Versions, being on the green site of bank account, is already an accomplishment.
​
Not every classic Solitaire game can be won. How to increase your chances to win a game, read the 10 commandments on how to win a Patience Solitaire game....
​
Rules Solitaire Klondike
To understand the rules of this game, we have to dig a little bit deeper on the glossary.
Moving cards to the Foundation
Let us start with the Foundation, since moving all 52 cards there, is the objective of the game.
Any face up card, which is either on top of a pile of the Tableau or the wast, can be removed to the Foundation, in case following requirement are full filled.
! Cards within each pile of the Foundation have to be in one suit and sequential upwards in the following order: Ace, 2, 3, ..., King!
​
There are 2 ways on how to place cards tot he Foundation. First one would be placing cards form the Tableau to the Foundation and secondly, you can place them directly from the waste.
Tableau: Moving cards
Taking a closer look at the Tableau makes us understand the main tool on how to solve a Solitaire puzzle. Starting the game gives you 1 card being exposed on each of the seven piles. You can now start putting card from one pile to any pile with a exposed card, if the color of those cards are alternating and the sequence is downwards.
​
On top of that, you are not limited in moving single cards. You can also move whole piles, if the requirements of alternating colors (red, black, red, black... ) and the sequence being downwards are being met.
Waste: Moving cards
The name of those cards are not giving its function enough honor. Since the cards of Tableau do not always give the opportunity to further built up sequences or move cards to the Foundations, the Waste cards are a crucial part for filling in missing links.
​
Based on the 1 card draw version shown in the mobile app Classic Solitaire, 2 different moves are available. One of them, moving waste cards directly to the Foundation were already shown above.
​
The 2nd move is to move Waste cards to matching piles in the Tableau in order to continue building up the piles. Giving the fact, that 1 card each is drawn from the stock, every card can be directly accessed, which makes winning more probable then playing the 3 card draw version. Our Solitaire Game experts made an live experiment, in which the chance of winning of spitted in 3:1 favoring the 1 card draw version. Nevertheless, both versions of the popular Solitaire are FUN to play!
All screenshots are taken from the mobile application: "Free Classic Solitaire" downloadable here...
Tips & Tricks
How to solve a Solitaire Klondike Game
Our experts from ALL About Solitaire have played thousands of Solitaire Games. Online as well as mobile and real Klondike Solitaire Games.
We came up with a road map on how to win Solitaire games. It is more a rule of thumb then a guaranteed way on to win a Classic Solitaire card game, but it works. Especially playing the Vegas Scoring version, proofs this. Out of 1000 games played by our All About Solitaire experts, played by this road map, we outscored players with no strategy by 80%. That result is quite amazing and we want to pass those learning on to every card game fan out there. Please be aware of the objective of a Solitaire game up front.
Here are the 10 commandments of how to solve a classic Solitaire card game:
1. Tableau before Waste: Using Waste cards should be the last alternative.
2. Free up piles in the Tableau: Free up piles in order to place Kings is essential.
3. Place only cards in the Foundation, which you will not need to build up piles in the Tableau: If lower cards are still needed to build up piles in the Tableau, we suggest not to place them in the Foundation, unless it is the top card of the Foundation's pile.
4. First move is to uncover a waste draw: The first move of each Solitaire game should be to uncover a card from the Waste. Taking a look at commandment number 1. shows us, that Waste cards should not be used, unless there is not other option, but doing this move gives you insight about what is possible.
5. Move cards from big piles of the Tableau is more important then moving cards from small piles: Giving the fact, that freeing up big piles of the Tableau is quite hard, you should focus on freeing up those with a whole bunch of uncovered card beneath it.
6. Place King of different color available into free piles of the Tableau: In case you have a red colored King already being placed in the Tableau, try to place a black King from the wast to the Tableau. It give you more options and the probability for a red Queen to be uncovered is more likely.
7. Free up small piles to gain traction: In commandment number 5, we mentioned, that freeing up piles with a lot of uncovered cards should be the focus. Nevertheless, it often helps, when a pile in the Tableau is freed as soon as possible to give Kings a spot to be placed.
8. Free up Kings: Placing King in free piles of the foundation is important. Especially in from of the background, that cards beneath a King not reached.
9. Be Patient!
10. Have Fun!
​
​
Also read more about the fun Spider Solitaire version as well the popular Pyramid Solitaire version..