Short answer: Win more Klondike games by turning over face-down cards as early as possible, working on the longest columns first, only emptying a column when you have a King ready for it, and not rushing cards up to the foundations when they could still be useful in the columns.
Klondike Solitaire looks like a game of luck, and some deals really cannot be won. But most losses come from a handful of avoidable mistakes. These tips come from building and testing our own free Solitaire game, where we watched a lot of games being won and lost. If you need a refresher on the rules first, the game page explains them step by step.
1. Always turn over hidden cards first
Face-down cards in the columns are the real enemy. Every hidden card could be the one you need. When you have a choice between two moves, pick the one that reveals a face-down card. A move that only shuffles face-up cards between columns is worth less.
2. Work on the longest columns
The rightmost column starts with six hidden cards, the leftmost with none. Freeing cards from the big columns opens up the game much faster than clearing a short one, because that is where most of the hidden cards are.
3. Do not empty a column without a King ready
Only a King, or a run starting with a King, can go into an empty column. An empty column is valuable, but only if you can use it. Before you clear one, check that a King is available in the waste or at the top of a face-up run.
4. Choose your King carefully
When you have two Kings to choose from, think about colour. If you have a black Queen waiting, move the red King into the space. Placing the wrong King can block the cards you need for several turns.
5. Aces and Twos go up straight away
There is never a reason to keep an Ace or a Two in the columns. Send them to the foundations as soon as they appear.
6. Do not rush everything else to the foundations
Higher cards are often more useful in the columns, where they can hold a card of the opposite colour. A good rule: only move a card up if both cards of the opposite colour one rank lower are already up, or if moving it reveals a hidden card.
7. Use the stock as a resource, not a reflex
Before you draw from the stock, check the columns for moves. Drawing is safe in Draw 1, where you can go through the deck as many times as you like. In Draw 3 it changes which cards you can reach on the next pass, so think before you draw.
8. In Draw 3, remember the order
In Draw 3 only every third card is playable on each pass. Playing one card from the waste shifts everything after it, which can bring a card you need into reach. Sometimes it is worth playing a waste card just to change the order.
9. Keep runs flexible
When you can put a red Nine on either of two black Tens, pick the one that frees more cards or keeps the other column open for a later move.
10. Moving cards back down is allowed
You can move a card from a foundation back onto a column. In our game it costs a few points, but it can unlock a stuck game.
11. Use Undo to explore
Our Solitaire has unlimited undo. If you are not sure which of two moves is better, try one, see what happens and take it back. There is no penalty for experimenting.
12. Know when a deal is lost
Around one in five Klondike deals cannot be won at all, whatever you do. If you have been through the stock several times with no new moves, deal again. It is not your fault.
Draw 1 or Draw 3: which should you play?
Draw 1 is more relaxed and more winnable, and is the right place to learn. Draw 3 is the traditional, harder version, where planning matters much more. Our game lets you pick either mode when you start a new deal.
Questions
Is every game of Solitaire winnable?
No. A small share of Klondike deals cannot be solved by any sequence of moves. Most deals can be won with careful play, especially in Draw 1.
What is the most important Solitaire strategy?
Turn over face-down cards as early as possible, starting with the longest columns. Revealing hidden cards gives you more options than any other move.
Should I always move cards to the foundation?
Aces and Twos, yes. Higher cards can be more useful in the columns, so only move them up when they are no longer needed to hold other cards.
