Solitaire tips for beginners: win more deals
The best solitaire tip is simple: turn over hidden cards, and don't rush. There is no timer in Solitaire, so you can stop and look at the whole table before every move. This page has easy habits that win more deals in all four games, plus how to use Hint and Undo to learn.
Five habits for every game
- Look before you move. Check every pile, the turned cards and the top piles. The best move is often not the first one you see.
- Show hidden cards. In Klondike and Spider, a move that turns over a face-down card is usually a good move. Every card you can see gives you more choices.
- Keep empty places for later. An empty pile or a free spot is very useful. Don't fill it just because you can.
- Low cards first. Aces and twos often hold everything up. Find them and dig them out early.
- Use Undo to explore. Undo has no limit. Try a move, see what happens, and take it back if you don't like it.
Using Hint and Undo to learn
The Hint button follows a plan that leads to a win. That makes it a good teacher:
- Stuck? Tap Hint and look at the move. Before you play it, ask yourself: why is this move good?
- Try first, then check. Pick your own move, then tap Hint to see if it agrees.
- Undo and compare. If a deal goes badly, Undo a few moves and try another path.
There is no penalty for using Hint or Undo. Your best moves count the moves on the table, and an undone move does not count. Read more on hints, Undo and other helpers.
Klondike tips for beginners
- Start with Turn 1. It is easier, because every card in the draw pile can be played.
- Play from the big piles. Pile 7 starts with six hidden cards, pile 6 with five. Freeing them opens up the game.
- Only empty a pile when a king can move in. Otherwise the empty pile just waits, because only a king can go there.
- Don't send every card up at once. A 3 or 4 on the table can be a home for a 2 or 3 of the other colour.
Full rules: Klondike.
Pyramid tips for beginners
- Learn the pairs: A + Q, 2 + J, 3 + 10, 4 + 9, 5 + 8, 6 + 7. Kings go alone.
- Clear the bottom rows first. They hold up the cards above.
- Use the draw pile. A card from the draw pile can free a card stuck high up.
Full rules: Pyramid.
Spider tips for beginners
- Start with 1 suit. Every run can move as one group, so it is much easier.
- Make your moves before you deal. A new row covers every pile.
- Use empty piles to sort runs. Don't park a single card there unless you need to.
Full rules: Spider.
FreeCell tips for beginners
- Keep free spots free. Park a card only when it helps you, and move it out again soon.
- Empty a pile. It doubles how many cards you can move at once.
- Plan. Every card is face up, so you can think a few moves ahead.
Full rules: FreeCell.
Common mistakes and how to fix them
| Mistake | What happens | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Emptying a Klondike pile with no king ready | The pile sits empty and you lose a building place | Undo, and move cards there only when a king can follow |
| Dealing a Spider row too early | Your nice runs get covered | Undo the deal, make your other moves first |
| Filling all four FreeCell free spots | With no empty pile, you can only move one card at a time | Undo, and keep at least one spot free |
| Pairing the first two cards you see in Pyramid | A better pair stays stuck | Undo, and pick the pair that frees the most cards |
| Starting a new game while a good deal is kept | The kept deal is replaced by the new one | Tap Keep playing on the title screen first |
More calm games
If you like quiet games where you think before you move, try Space Tiles, a relaxing puzzle game in space, or Bloom Haven, a calm garden puzzle game.
Next
- Advanced solitaire tips: fewer moves and the harder games.
- Daily deal and Goals: put your tips to work.
- Play Solitaire.
