— I · Klondike —
Klondike.
Klondike is the solitaire most people already know — the version that ships with every operating system, the one that taught generations how a deck of cards can hold a quiet game inside it. Two-color sequences, a stock pile, four foundations to fill from Ace to King.
The Object of the Game
Move all 52 cards to the four foundation piles, with each foundation built up by suit from Ace through King. The game ends when every card has found its foundation — or when no legal moves remain.
Setup
Klondike is dealt into a fan-shaped tableau of seven columns. The first column receives one card, the second receives two, and so on through the seventh, which receives seven. Only the topmost card of each column is turned face-up. The remaining 24 cards form the stock pile, drawn from when no tableau move is available.
— Klondike Initial Layout —
How to Move Cards
- Tableau columns are built down, alternating colors. A red 8 may be placed on a black 9, a black 7 on a red 8, and so on.
- Foundations are built up by suit, starting with the Ace. Once a card moves to a foundation, it almost always stays.
- Sequences of correctly-ordered cards can be moved as a single unit between columns.
- Empty columns can only be filled by a King (or a sequence headed by a King).
- The stock pile deals cards either one at a time or three at a time, depending on the chosen rules. Most modern apps default to one-card draw, which is more forgiving.
Strategy
- Always look for moves that expose face-down cards. Information beats speed in Klondike.
- Don't move Aces and 2s to the foundations the moment they appear if you can use them in the tableau first.
- Empty columns are valuable — protect them. Move Kings into empty columns rather than burying useful cards.
- If you're playing draw-three, think one full deck-cycle ahead before committing a tableau move.
- If a column is full of face-down cards with only one face-up card on top, prioritize unburying it.
Open Detailed Strategy Guide
The opening: which column to dig first
Klondike rewards aggressive early excavation of the longest tableau columns. Column seven (which starts with seven cards) holds the most face-down cards, and exposing them gives you the most new information. If your first move is between two columns of similar utility, prefer the one that empties or shortens column seven over column one.
When to commit Aces and 2s
Aces and 2s should usually go to the foundations as soon as it doesn't break a sequence. The exception is when an Ace or 2 is currently bridging a useful tableau move — for example, if you have a red 3 you need to move onto a black 4, and the red 2 is currently on the black 3 protecting it, you might delay sending the 2 home for one or two turns.
The empty column dilemma
Empty tableau columns are the strongest resource in Klondike. Once you have one, you can use it as a "scratch space" for unloading buried sequences, then refill it with a King when convenient. The mistake most players make is filling an empty column too quickly — try to keep it open until you have a specific use for it.
Stock pile management
In draw-three Klondike, only every third stock card is initially playable. This means a card you want to play might be inaccessible until the next deck cycle. Track which cards you've seen and plan tableau moves to coincide with the stock pile rotation that exposes the card you need.
When to give up a winnable game
Many Klondike deals are unwinnable — estimates put the proportion at around 20-30% depending on rules. If you've cycled the stock pile twice with no productive moves, the deal is probably lost. Restart rather than burn time on it.