Play Klondike Solitaire Online — Free, No Download
Introduction
Klondike Solitaire is the card game that shipped with every computer for three decades and quietly became the most played patience game in the world. One deck, seven tableau columns, four foundation piles and a single goal: move every card onto its matching suit pile, from Ace up to King. It looks calm, but behind the green felt is a planning puzzle where every exposure of a hidden card changes the shape of the whole game. Play it free in your browser here, with draw-one and draw-three modes and no download.
About Klondike Solitaire
Klondike's history is fuzzy — it appeared in the late 1800s, possibly named after the Klondike gold rush, and became a household name when Microsoft shipped it with Windows 3.0 in 1990. The rules are simple enough to learn in a minute and the odds are just hard enough that a win feels like an achievement. Statistically, only around one in five deals is winnable with best play, which is why the game rewards patience more than luck.
The tableau is built with seven columns: one card in the first, two in the second, and so on up to seven. Only the top card of each column is face up. You build columns downward in alternating colours — red on black or black on red — and you move cards to the four foundations upward in matching suits, starting with the Aces. A King, and only a King, can fill an empty tableau space.
The version here is an open-source implementation by Radovan Janjic, released under the MIT licence. It runs entirely in your browser with no account and no download, and it offers both draw-one and draw-three modes so you can choose how strict you want the game to be. Your current game state is saved in your browser, so you can close the tab and come back to the same deal.
How to Play Klondike Solitaire
Deal the tableau.
Seven columns of cards are dealt face down and face up in a pyramid: one card in the first column, two in the second, up to seven in the last. Only the top card of each column starts face up.
Build columns in alternating colours.
Move face-up cards onto the column beside them, always placing a card of one colour on a card of the opposite colour with the next higher rank — a red 6 goes on a black 7, for example.
Move Aces and build foundations.
Any Ace can move to an empty foundation pile. From there, each foundation must be built up in the same suit: Ace, 2, 3, all the way to King. Completing all four foundations wins the game.
Use the stock pile.
When no more tableau moves are available, flip cards from the stock. In draw-one mode you get each card once; in draw-three mode you get them three at a time, which is harder and scores differently.
Free a King for an empty column.
An empty tableau column can only be filled by a King (or a sequence starting with a King). Emptying a column is powerful because it exposes the cards beneath the King.
Klondike Solitaire Controls
| Action | Desktop | Mobile |
|---|---|---|
| Move a card | Click a card, then click its destination | Tap a card, then tap its destination |
| Move a card to foundation | Click a card, then click a foundation pile | Tap a card, then tap a foundation pile |
| Move a card automatically | Double-click a card | Double-tap a card |
| Draw from the stock | Click the stock pile | Tap the stock pile |
| Undo last move | Click the Undo button | Tap the Undo button |
| Restart the deal | Click the New Game button | Tap the New Game button |
| Toggle draw mode | Choose Draw 1 or Draw 3 before dealing | Choose Draw 1 or Draw 3 before dealing |
| Fullscreen | Click the fullscreen button above the table | Tap the fullscreen button above the table |
| Exit fullscreen | Escape key | Tap the fullscreen button again |
Klondike Solitaire Tips & Strategies
Expose face-down cards first
Every face-down card in the tableau is information you cannot see. Before you chase a foundation, look for moves that turn over a hidden card — uncovering cards gives you more options than moving visible ones ever will.
Do not empty the stock too early
In draw-three mode the stock cycles, and cards you see now will come back later. Avoid burning through the stock just to find one card when there are still useful tableau moves available.
Keep columns roughly balanced
A column with ten cards and a column with two cards behave very differently. Long columns trap the cards you need. Distributing cards evenly keeps more options open and makes it easier to free a King for an empty space.
Build foundations by suit, not by speed
Moving a card to a foundation is tempting because it clears the tableau, but once a card is on a foundation it cannot come back. Do not put a card up until you are sure you will not need it to build a longer sequence below.
Alternate colours deliberately
The colour alternation rule is the skeleton of the game. Before you move a card, check what it unlocks underneath. Moving a red 6 onto a black 7 might expose a card you need far more than the 6 itself.
Play the Kings with a plan
A King is the only card that can fill an empty column, so moving a King usually empties the space behind it. Sequence the cards under the King before you move him, so the exposed column is useful rather than a dead end.
What makes Klondike Solitaire worth playing
- Classic Klondike Solitaire with draw-one and draw-three modes
- Runs entirely in your browser with no download or plugin
- Game state saved automatically so you can finish a deal later
- Undo button to take back a mistake
- Open source under the MIT licence with credit to the developer
Game Info
| Developer | Radovan Janjic |
|---|---|
| Released | 2017 |
| Genre | Card, Solitaire, Strategy |
| Players | Single player |
| Technology | HTML5 / JavaScript |
| Platforms | Desktop, Tablet, Mobile browser |
| Average session | About 10 minutes |
| Licence | MIT |
| Last updated |
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Klondike Solitaire — Frequently Asked Questions
Is Klondike Solitaire free to play?
Yes, completely. The game is open source under the MIT licence and free to play here with no payment, no trial and no premium tier.
What is the difference between draw one and draw three?
Draw one reveals a single card from the stock each time, which is the easier mode. Draw three reveals three cards at once and only lets you play the top card of the group, making the game harder and the win more rewarding.
Do I need to download or install anything?
No. Klondike Solitaire runs entirely in your web browser. There is nothing to install, no plugin and no account to create.
Can I play Klondike on my phone?
Yes. The game supports touch controls — tap a card and then tap where you want to move it. It works in portrait and landscape on iOS and Android browsers.
Is my game saved if I close the tab?
Your current deal is saved in your browser's local storage, so you can close the tab and come back to the same game. Clearing your browser data or switching devices resets it.
How do I win Klondike Solitaire?
You win by moving every card onto the four foundation piles, each built from Ace to King in a single suit. When all 52 cards are on the foundations, the game is complete.
What other card games are on this site?
If you enjoy Klondike, try Mahjong Solitaire for a tile-matching twist, or Chess for a two-player strategy board game. Both are linked from the card and board category page.
Licence & Attribution
Klondike Solitaire by Radovan Janjic · MIT License
Licence verified .