FreeCell Rules
Everything you need to know about FreeCell Solitaire in one concise reference. No fluff, no lengthy tutorial — just the rules. Looking for a full walkthrough? See our How to Play guide.
Game Setup
FreeCell uses a single standard 52-card deck. All cards are dealt face-up into eight columns (called cascades). The first four cascades receive 7 cards each and the last four receive 6 cards each. There are no hidden cards and no stock pile.
Temporary storage. Each holds exactly one card.
Goal piles. Build each suit A through K.
The main play area. All 52 cards start here.
Legal Moves
Cascade to Cascade
Move a card onto another card that is one rank higher and the opposite color. A black 7 goes on a red 8. A red Queen goes on a black King. Any card or valid sequence can be placed on an empty cascade.
Cascade to Foundation
Move a card to the foundation that matches its suit and is one rank higher than the current top card. Aces start each foundation pile. Build upward: A, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, J, Q, K.
Cascade to Free Cell
Move any single card from the bottom of a cascade to an empty free cell. Each free cell holds exactly one card. You can move a card from a free cell back to a cascade or to a foundation at any time, following normal placement rules.
Free Cell to Cascade or Foundation
A card in a free cell can be moved to a cascade (following the alternating-color, descending-rank rule) or to a foundation (following the same-suit, ascending-rank rule) at any time. Cards in free cells are always available.
The Supermove Rule
Strictly, FreeCell only allows moving one card at a time. However, digital implementations allow you to move an entire properly-ordered sequence in a single action. This is called a supermove. The game calculates whether the move could be accomplished one card at a time using empty free cells and empty cascades as temporary storage.
Empty cascades are exponentially more valuable than empty free cells because they double the supermove capacity. This is why experienced players prioritize creating empty cascades over keeping free cells available.
Win Condition
You win when all 52 cards are moved to the four foundation piles, each built from Ace to King in a single suit. Most digital versions trigger an auto-complete once every remaining card in the tableau is in proper descending order, finishing the game for you.
Solvability
Approximately 99.999% of FreeCell deals are solvable with perfect play. Out of the original 32,000 Microsoft deals, only deal #11982 has been proven unsolvable. There is no time limit and no penalty for using undo. If you lose, it is almost always because of a strategic misstep, not the deal itself.
Rules Summary
| Rule | Details |
|---|---|
| Deck | Standard 52-card deck, all dealt face-up |
| Cascade stacking | Descending rank, alternating colors |
| Foundation building | Ascending rank, same suit (A to K) |
| Free cells | 4 cells, each holds 1 card |
| Empty cascades | Any card or valid sequence can be placed |
| Supermove limit | (1 + free cells) × 2^(empty cascades) |
| Win condition | All 52 cards on foundations |
FreeCell Rules FAQ
How many cards can I move at once in FreeCell?
The number of cards you can move as a group depends on your empty spaces. The formula is (1 + empty free cells) × 2^(empty cascades). With all four free cells empty and one empty cascade, you can move up to 10 cards at once. This is called a supermove.
Can I move a King to an empty cascade?
Yes. Any card or properly ordered sequence can be placed in an empty cascade, including Kings. However, once a King occupies an empty cascade, only a Queen of the opposite color can be placed on top of it. Use empty cascades for Kings strategically.
Is FreeCell different from Klondike Solitaire?
Yes, significantly. In FreeCell, all 52 cards are dealt face-up from the start, making it a game of pure strategy with no hidden information. Klondike has face-down cards and a draw pile, introducing a luck element. FreeCell also has four temporary storage cells (free cells) instead of a stock pile.
Do I have to move Aces to the foundation immediately?
You are never forced to move any card, but you should always move Aces and Twos to the foundations as soon as they are available. There is no strategic reason to keep an Ace in the tableau since no card can be placed on top of an Ace in a cascade.
Ready to Play?
You know the rules. Put them into practice with a free game of FreeCell.