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How to Play Aces Up Solitaire

Aces Up (also called Idiot's Delight or Firing Squad) is a satisfying patience card game that blends simple rules with real strategic depth. The concept is straightforward: discard any card that is outranked by another card of the same suit. Your goal is to eliminate everything except the four Aces. With a ~10% win rate, skilled play makes a real difference.

Setup

  1. Use a standard 52-card deck.
  2. Deal one card face-up to each of 4 tableau piles (4 cards total).
  3. Place the remaining 48 cards face-down as the stock pile.
  4. All tableau cards are always face-up and visible.

Objective

Remove all cards from the tableau except the four Aces — one in each pile. Since Aces are the highest-ranked card in this game, they can never be discarded. Every other card (2 through King) must be eliminated by finding a higher card of the same suit on another pile.

Step-by-Step Gameplay

  1. Scan the tableau: Look at the top card of each of the 4 piles. If any two top cards share the same suit, the lower-ranked one can be discarded. (Aces are highest — A > K > Q > J > 10 > ... > 2.)
  2. Discard: Tap or click a card to remove it if a higher card of the same suit is on top of another pile. The discarded card is removed from the game.
  3. Repeat: Keep discarding as long as valid discards exist. After one discard, new discards may become available.
  4. Move to empty piles: If a pile becomes empty, you can move any top card there. This is your main strategic tool — use it to uncover buried cards.
  5. Deal from stock: When no more discards or useful moves are available, deal one card from the stock onto each of the 4 piles. This places new cards on top of existing ones.
  6. Continue until you win (only Aces remain) or get stuck (no valid discards, no stock left, and no useful moves).

Key Rules

Aces Are High

In Aces Up, the Ace is the highest card — higher than the King. The rank order from lowest to highest is: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, J, Q, K, A. This is the opposite of most card games where Ace is low.

Same-Suit Discard

A card can only be discarded if another pile's top card has the same suit AND a higher rank. Different suits never interact — a King of Spades does not threaten a 2 of Hearts.

Top Cards Only

Only the top card of each pile can be discarded or moved. Cards buried underneath are blocked until the cards above them are removed or relocated.

Dealing Is Mandatory to All 4 Piles

When you deal from the stock, one card goes to each pile simultaneously. You cannot deal to individual piles. Empty piles receive a card too, which means dealing fills up your hard-won empty spaces.

Strategy Tips

1. Exhaust All Discards Before Dealing

Always discard every possible card before dealing from the stock. New cards cover existing ones, so you want as few buried cards as possible. After each discard, re-check all piles — a new discard opportunity may have appeared.

2. Prioritize Creating Empty Piles

Empty piles are your most valuable resource. They let you temporarily store cards to access buried ones underneath. Try to create empty piles before dealing.

3. Move Aces to Empty Piles

Since Aces can never be discarded, they will always take up a pile slot. If an Ace is on top of other cards, move it to an empty pile to free up the cards beneath it. An Ace on an otherwise empty pile is in its final position.

4. Consider Suit Distribution

Pay attention to which suits are on top of multiple piles. If two piles show the same suit, the lower one can be removed. Plan moves to create these same-suit matchups on top of different piles.

5. Delay Dealing When Possible

Each deal adds 4 cards on top of your existing piles, potentially burying useful cards. Only deal when you have no more productive moves. Sometimes waiting and using empty piles first can prevent cards from getting buried.

The ~10% Win Rate

Aces Up has a notably higher win rate than many other patience games — roughly 1 in 10 games with good play. Compare this to Clock Solitaire (~1%) or Accordion (~1-2%). However, it's far below FreeCell (~82%) because many Aces Up deals are simply unwinnable regardless of strategy.

The skill element comes from how you handle winnable deals. Random play wins far less than 10% of the time. Strategic use of empty piles, careful timing of stock deals, and thorough discarding can roughly double your win rate compared to casual play.

History

Aces Up has been known by many names throughout its history: Idiot's Delight, Firing Squad, Aces High, and Drivel. The game dates back to at least the early 20th century and appears in numerous card game compendiums. Its simple rules made it popular as a quick pub or parlor game.

The nickname "Idiot's Delight" is thought to reference the game's deceptive simplicity — new players often assume it will be easy to win given the straightforward rules, only to discover that winning is surprisingly rare. The name may also share origins with the 1936 Robert Sherwood play and the 1939 film of the same name.

Comparison: Aces Up vs Other Solitaire Games

FeatureAces UpFreeCellKlondikeLa Belle Lucie
Tableau piles48718
Win rate~10%~82%~62-82%~5-10%
GoalOnly Aces remainBuild foundations A-KBuild foundations A-KBuild foundations A-K
AcesHighest rankLowest rankLowest rankLowest rank
Skill vs Luck~40% skill~95% skill~60% skill~50% skill
Avg. game time3-8 min5-15 min5-20 min5-15 min

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Aces Up Solitaire?

Aces Up Solitaire (also called Idiot's Delight or Firing Squad) is a patience card game where you discard cards from 4 tableau piles whenever a higher card of the same suit is visible on another pile. The goal is to remove all cards except the four Aces. It uses a standard 52-card deck.

What is the win rate for Aces Up?

With optimal play, Aces Up has a win rate of approximately 10% (1 in 10 games). The outcome depends heavily on the deal, but strategic use of empty piles and timing your deals from the stock can improve your results compared to random play.

Are Aces high or low in Aces Up?

Aces are HIGH in Aces Up — they are the highest-ranked card, above Kings. This means Aces can never be discarded because no card outranks them. Every other card (2 through King) can potentially be discarded if a higher card of the same suit is on top of another pile.

Can you move any card to an empty pile?

Yes, any top card from a tableau pile can be moved to an empty pile. This is a key strategic element — creating and using empty piles lets you uncover buried cards and set up future discards. Experienced players plan their moves to maximize empty pile usage.

What happens when you deal from the stock?

When you deal from the stock, one card is placed face-up on top of each of the four tableau piles simultaneously. You must deal to all four piles at once — you cannot deal to individual piles. This means empty piles get filled again when you deal, so timing your deals is crucial.

Why is it called Idiot's Delight?

The game earned the name 'Idiot's Delight' because the rules appear trivially simple — just remove lower cards. However, the game is deceptively difficult to win, with only about 10% of deals being winnable even with perfect play. The 'idiot' is the player who thinks it will be easy.

Is Aces Up a game of skill or luck?

Aces Up is a mix of both. The deal determines whether the game is winnable at all, which is pure luck. However, within a winnable deal, strategic decisions about when to deal from the stock, which cards to move to empty piles, and the order of discards can determine whether you actually win. Roughly 60% luck, 40% skill.

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