FreeCell Rules

Standard FreeCell uses one 52-card deck, eight tableau columns, four free cells, and four foundations. All cards are dealt face up, so the challenge comes from planning rather than uncovering unknown cards.

Setup

The entire deck is dealt into eight tableau columns. Columns one through four receive seven cards each; columns five through eight receive six. All cards are face up. The four free cells and four foundations begin empty.

Tableau rules

Only the exposed bottom card of a column can move by itself.
Tableau sequences build down by one rank and in alternating colors.
A black 8 can receive a red 7; it cannot receive a black 7 or any 6.
A correctly ordered sequence can move together only when enough free cells and empty columns are available.
Any exposed card can fill an empty tableau column.

Free-cell rules

Each free cell holds exactly one card. A card in a free cell can later move to a legal tableau position or foundation. The more occupied cells you have, the fewer cards you can transport as a sequence.

Foundation rules

There is one foundation for each suit. Each foundation begins with its Ace and builds upward in suit: Ace, 2, 3, and so on through King. A card can move to its foundation only when the previous rank of the same suit is already there.

Moving more than one card

FreeCell interfaces often let you drag a whole valid sequence. This is a shortcut for a series of legal single-card moves. With no empty tableau columns, you can move one more card than the number of empty free cells.

Empty free cells	Maximum sequence without an empty column
0	1 card
1	2 cards
2	3 cards
3	4 cards
4	5 cards

Empty columns can increase that capacity. Use the full FreeCell move calculation when planning longer transfers.

Winning and losing

You win when all 52 cards are on the four foundations. A deal is stuck when no legal moves remain, although undo may let you return to an earlier decision. Starting a new game is not required until you decide the current line cannot be recovered.

Rules that change in variants

FreeCell-family games can change the number of cells, the building suit, the number of decks, or which cards may fill empty columns. For example, Baker's Game builds tableau sequences by suit, while Eight Off provides eight cells.

If this is your first game, continue with how to play FreeCell or practice standard FreeCell now.

Examples of legal and illegal moves

The 6 of Hearts may be placed on the 7 of Spades or 7 of Clubs because the rank decreases by one and the colors alternate. It cannot go on the 7 of Diamonds because both cards are red, and it cannot go on an 8 because the ranks are not consecutive.

A sequence such as 8 of Spades, 7 of Hearts, 6 of Clubs, and 5 of Diamonds is correctly ordered for standard FreeCell. Whether you can drag all four cards together still depends on the available free cells and empty columns.

Which cards are available to move?

The exposed bottom card of each tableau column, every card in a free cell, and the top card of each foundation are available. A card covered by another card cannot be moved, even though its face is visible. Much of FreeCell strategy is the process of changing the available cards until a buried key card is released.

Some implementations let you return the top foundation card to the tableau. Do not rely on that rescue. Before sending a higher card to a foundation, check whether it is still needed as a landing place for a card of the opposite color.

Empty-column details

In standard FreeCell, any available card can fill an empty column. A valid sequence can also move there if the current movement capacity is large enough. However, a column used as the destination cannot also serve as temporary space during the same move, so exclude it when calculating capacity.

There is no “Kings only” rule in standard FreeCell. Some solitaire variants do restrict empty columns to Kings, which is why each variant needs its own rule page.

Automatic and manual foundation moves

The game may automatically send safe Aces, 2s, and other low cards to their foundations. Auto-move does not change the rules; it only removes repetitive actions. If a card is not moved automatically, the game may consider it useful in the tableau. You can still decide whether moving it manually is safe.

Common rule misunderstandings

Every visible card can move: Only an uncovered card is available.
Free cells should be filled early: Each occupied cell reduces sequence capacity.
An empty column is just a larger free cell: It also multiplies movement capacity.
Every valid sequence can move as a group: The board must provide enough temporary space.
Every foundation move is mandatory: Low cards are usually safe; higher cards require judgment.