# Online Solitaire Rules Explained
Online Solitaire is one of the most timeless single-player card games, available on countless free mobile and web apps. It is easy to start, but many beginners mix up the rules for tableau building, stock pile draws, foundations, and scoring. Most online platforms use Klondike Solitaire as the default version, which is the classic format people know best. This guide breaks down the full rules, explains common settings you will see in online games, and clears up frequent beginner mistakes.
Klondike Solitaire uses one standard 52-card deck with no jokers. At the start of the game, cards are dealt into seven tableau columns. The first column has 1 card, the second has 2 cards, and this continues until the seventh column with 7 cards. Only the bottom card in each column is face up; all cards above it stay face down. The remaining undealt cards go into the stock pile, usually at the top left of the screen. Next to the stock pile is the waste pile, where drawn cards are placed. The four empty foundation slots sit at the top right. These are where you build your final stacks to win the game.
The main goal is to move all cards to the four foundation piles. Each foundation pile must start with an Ace, followed by 2, 3, 4, all the way up to King. Every foundation pile is tied to one suit. That means once you place the Ace of Hearts on a foundation, only Hearts can be added to that same stack. Foundations are built strictly in ascending order by suit.
The tableau columns follow different rules. Here, you build sequences in descending order, and colours must alternate. A red 6 can only be placed on a black 7, a black Queen can only go on a red King, and so on. Suits do not matter here, only the colour and rank. You can move multiple face-up cards together as a single stack, as long as they already form a valid descending, alternating-colour sequence. When you move all the face-up cards from a column, you reveal the hidden face-down card underneath. If a tableau column becomes completely empty, you can place a King (and any valid stack starting with a King) into that empty spot. No other card can fill an empty tableau column.
Drawing from the stock pile works differently based on the game settings. The two most common online modes are Draw 1 and Draw 3. Draw 1 means you flip one card from the stock at a time, and you can use it if it fits somewhere. Draw 3 flips three cards at once, and you may only play the top card of the waste pile. This is the harder, more traditional version. Once you go through all the stock cards, most online games let you recycle the waste pile back into the stock for another round. Some platforms limit the number of times you can recycle, so check the game settings before you start.
Many online Solitaire apps have extra helper features that new players often rely on. The auto-move function automatically sends eligible cards to the foundation when possible. You can also turn on hints, which highlight a valid move for you. These helpers are optional, and competitive players usually turn them off for a real challenge. Most games also have an undo button, letting you reverse your last move.
Scoring rules vary slightly across platforms. Classic Klondike scoring gives points for moving cards to foundations, flipping hidden tableau cards, and making valid moves. Points are deducted for using hints, undoing moves, or recycling the stock pile too many times. Some online versions only track time instead of points, challenging you to finish the game as quickly as possible. There is no penalty for losing; you can simply start a fresh deal.
There are a few popular Solitaire variants you will find on online apps, each with changed rules. Spider Solitaire uses two decks and builds sequences by suit, with no foundation piles at the start. FreeCell has all cards face up at the beginning and almost no hidden cards, focusing on careful planning. Pyramid Solitaire has a different layout, where you remove pairs of cards that add up to 13. These are separate from the classic Klondike, so do not apply Klondike rules when playing these variants.
Common beginner mistakes slow players down a lot. The first mistake is rushing to send every card to the foundation immediately. Sometimes holding a lower card on the tableau helps you unlock hidden cards later. Another error is placing cards on foundations too early and getting stuck without a way to move tableau stacks. Many new players also forget only Kings can fill empty tableau columns, wasting time trying to place other cards. It is also important to check whether your game is Draw 1 or Draw 3, because the strategy changes completely between the two modes.
Online Solitaire is perfect for short, relaxing solo sessions. It requires no opponents, and most free versions work well on low-end phones with little internet data. Once you master the alternating-colour tableau rule and the suit-based foundation stacks, you will understand exactly what moves are allowed and which ones are just wasting your chances.