What Is Klondike? (And Why You Call It "Solitaire")
If you've ever played "Solitaire" on a computer, you've played Klondike. It's the card game that came pre-installed on every Windows computer since 1990 — the one where you deal seven columns of cards and try to build four piles from Ace to King.
The name "Klondike" likely comes from the Klondike Gold Rush of 1897, when prospectors in the Yukon Territory popularized the game to pass time. But most people never learned the proper name. When Microsoft shipped Windows 3.0 with a solitaire game in 1990, they just called it "Solitaire" — and the name stuck.
Here's the thing: "solitaire" actually refers to any card game played alone. There are hundreds of solitaire variants — FreeCell, Spider, Pyramid, Canfield, and many more. Klondike just became so dominant that people dropped the specific name.
Quick Facts
- Also called: Solitaire (US/Canada), Patience (UK), Canfield (historical)
- Players: 1
- Deck: Standard 52 cards
- Difficulty: Moderate (win rate ~18-50% depending on variant)
- First known rules: 1907 edition of Hoyle's Games
- Windows debut: 1990 (designed by intern Wes Cherry, card backs by Susan Kare)
- Monthly active players (Microsoft): 35 million (as of 2020)
Setting Up the Game
Klondike uses a single standard 52-card deck. No jokers. Shuffle thoroughly, then deal.
The Tableau: 7 Columns
Deal seven columns from left to right. The first column gets 1 card, the second gets 2, the third gets 3, and so on — up to 7 cards in the seventh column. This uses 28 cards total.
Critical rule: Only the top card of each column is face-up. Every card underneath is face-down. You can't see or use face-down cards until the cards above them are moved.
The Stock Pile
The remaining 24 cards go face-down in a pile called the stock (sometimes called the "draw pile" or "talon"). You'll draw from this pile during the game when you run out of moves on the tableau.
The Foundations: 4 Empty Piles
Above or beside the tableau, designate space for 4 foundation piles — one for each suit (Clubs ♣, Diamonds ♦, Hearts ♥, Spades ♠). These start empty. Your goal is to build each foundation from Ace to King.
How to Play
The goal is simple: move all 52 cards to the four foundation piles, building each from Ace up to King by suit. Here's how the moves work.
Moving Cards on the Tableau
On the tableau, you build downward in alternating colors. A black 6 can go on a red 7. A red Queen can go on a black King. Color must alternate, rank must descend by one.
You can also move entire sequences of properly ordered cards at once. If you have a red 5 → black 4 → red 3 stacked correctly, you can move all three as a group onto a black 6.
Example Move
You have a ♥7 at the bottom of column 3. Column 5 has a ♠8 showing. You can move the ♥7 onto the ♠8 because red goes on black, and 7 is one less than 8.
Revealing Hidden Cards
Whenever you move a card off a face-down card, that face-down card flips over. Revealing hidden cards is the key to winning — every face-down card is information you don't have and can't use. Good players prioritize moves that expose face-down cards.
Using the Stock Pile
When you can't (or don't want to) make any more moves on the tableau, draw from the stock pile. In Draw 1, you flip one card at a time. In Draw 3, you flip three cards but can only play the top one. Drawn cards go to a waste pile — if you can't use the current card, it stays there until you cycle through the stock again.
Building the Foundations
Move Aces to the foundation as soon as they appear, then build up in suit: A♥ → 2♥ → 3♥ → ... → K♥. Each foundation must be a single suit, built in order. You win when all four foundations are complete (Ace through King).
Empty Columns: Kings Only
When a tableau column becomes empty, only a King (or a sequence starting with a King) can be placed there. This is one of the most commonly confused rules — in FreeCell, any card can fill an empty column. In Klondike, it's Kings only.
Dealing Variants: Draw 1 vs. Draw 3
The biggest difference in how people play Klondike comes down to how you draw from the stock pile.
Draw 1 (Turn 1)
- ✅ Flip one card at a time from stock
- ✅ See every card in the deck each cycle
- ✅ Unlimited passes through the stock
- ✅ Win rate: ~40-50% for skilled players
- ✅ Best for beginners and casual play
Draw 3 (Turn 3)
- ⚡ Flip three cards, only the top one is playable
- ⚡ 2/3 of cards are blocked each cycle
- ⚡ Typically unlimited passes (some variants limit to 3)
- ⚡ Win rate: ~10-20% for most players
- ⚡ The "traditional" and competitive variant
Draw 3 is significantly harder because you can only access every third card in the stock. Strategic sequencing — knowing when not to play a card so you can reach the one behind it — becomes critical.
Vegas Rules
The strictest variant. Draw 3, but you can only go through the stock pile once (or sometimes three times). You "buy" the deck for $52 and earn $5 for each card placed on the foundations. If you clear all 52 cards, you profit $208. This is the variant you'd find in actual casinos.
Scoring Systems
Standard Scoring (Windows-style)
| Action | Points |
|---|---|
| Move card to foundation | +10 |
| Move card from waste to tableau | +5 |
| Turn over a face-down tableau card | +5 |
| Move card from foundation back to tableau | −15 |
| Recycle waste pile (Draw 3 only) | −20 |
Vegas Scoring
Start at −$52 (your "buy-in"). Earn $5 per card placed on a foundation. Maximum payout: $208 profit (all 52 cards × $5 = $260, minus the $52 buy-in). In practice, most games result in a net loss — just like real Vegas.
Klondike vs. FreeCell: Key Differences
Both games build foundations from Ace to King, but they play very differently.
| Feature | Klondike | FreeCell |
|---|---|---|
| Hidden cards | Yes (21 face-down) | None (all face-up) |
| Stock pile | Yes (24 cards) | No |
| Temporary storage | None | 4 free cells |
| Tableau stacking | Alternating colors | Alternating colors |
| Empty columns | Kings only | Any card |
| Win rate | 18-50% | ~82% (99.999% solvable) |
| Luck vs. skill | ~50/50 | ~90% skill |
The biggest difference: information. In FreeCell, every card is visible from the start — it's a pure strategy game. In Klondike, 21 cards are hidden, so luck plays a much larger role. No matter how well you play, some Klondike deals are simply unwinnable.
If you enjoy Klondike but want a game where skill matters more, give FreeCell a try. For a deeper comparison, see our FreeCell vs. Klondike guide.
Tips for Your First Game
1. Always play Aces and Twos to foundations immediately
There's never a reason to hold an Ace or a Two on the tableau. Move them up right away.
2. Prioritize revealing face-down cards
When choosing between two valid moves, prefer the one that flips over a face-down card. More information = better decisions.
3. Don't empty a column without a King ready
Only Kings can fill empty columns. If you clear a column without a King to place there, you've just wasted valuable space.
4. Start with Draw 1
Draw 3 is significantly harder. Learn the game with Draw 1 first, where you can see every card in the stock each cycle.
5. Target the longest face-down columns
Columns 6 and 7 have the most hidden cards. Focus early efforts on uncovering those columns — they hold the most information and free up the most options.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between Klondike and Solitaire?
They're the same game. In the US and Canada, "Solitaire" almost always means Klondike — the specific game with 7 tableau columns, a stock pile, and 4 foundations. "Solitaire" technically refers to any single-player card game (there are hundreds), but Klondike became so popular that people use the names interchangeably.
How many cards do you deal in Klondike?
28 cards across 7 columns (1+2+3+4+5+6+7 = 28). Only the top card of each column is face-up. The remaining 24 cards form the stock pile.
Can you move any card to an empty column in Klondike?
No — only Kings can fill empty columns. This is one of the biggest rule differences between Klondike and FreeCell, where any card can go in an empty column.
What are the odds of winning Klondike?
It depends on the variant. With Draw 1 and unlimited passes, skilled players win around 40-50% of games (computer analysis suggests a theoretical ceiling around 79-82%). Draw 3 drops to 10-20%. Vegas rules (single pass) can be as low as 5-10%. For comparison, FreeCell is 99.999% solvable — almost every deal can be won with perfect play.
Ready to Improve?
Now that you know the rules, learn the 7 strategies that separate consistent winners from casual players.