How to Play FreeCell Solitaire

FreeCell is a one-player card game in which all 52 cards are visible from the beginning. Your goal is to move every card to four foundation piles, separated by suit and built from Ace to King. The four free cells help you temporarily store cards while you reorganize the tableau.

The four parts of the board

• Tableau: Eight columns hold all 52 face-up cards. The first four columns contain seven cards and the other four contain six.
• Free cells: Four temporary spaces. Each free cell can hold one card.
• Foundations: Four destination piles, one for each suit. They build upward from Ace to King.
• Empty columns: A cleared tableau column becomes a powerful temporary space and can accept any available card or valid sequence.

The objective

Move the Aces to the foundations, then add the 2, 3, and higher cards of the same suit until all four Kings are placed. When every card reaches a foundation, you win.

Legal moves

Move a card within the tableau

Place an exposed card on a card of the opposite color and one rank higher. For example, the 6 of Hearts can go on the 7 of Clubs or 7 of Spades.

Move a card to a free cell

Any exposed tableau card can move to an empty free cell. Treat cells as temporary storage, not permanent parking: every occupied cell reduces the length of sequences you can move.

Move a card to a foundation

Start each foundation with an Ace. Continue upward in the same suit: Ace, 2, 3, through King. Moving low cards up is usually safe, but sometimes a higher card is still useful in the tableau.

Move a sequence

A descending, alternating-color sequence can be moved when you have enough empty free cells and columns to recreate that move one card at a time. See how many cards you can move for the exact calculation.

A simple first-game plan

1. Find the Aces and low cards before making your first move.
2. Look for moves that uncover those cards without filling every free cell.
3. Build downward in alternating colors on the tableau.
4. Try to clear one complete column. An empty column gives you much more flexibility.
5. Move safe low cards to the foundations.
6. Recheck the entire board before using your last free cell.

How do you win?

Winning FreeCell is less about moving quickly and more about preserving options. Keep free cells open, avoid burying low cards, and plan what will happen after each move. If a line fails, undo it and test another order.

Ready to practice? Play a new FreeCell game, or read the complete FreeCell rules and strategy guide.

Frequently asked questions

Is FreeCell the same as Solitaire?

FreeCell is a type of solitaire, but unlike Klondike, every card starts face up and there is no stock pile. The free cells and open information make planning more important than luck.

Can any card fill an empty column?

Yes. In standard FreeCell, any exposed card or movable valid sequence can be placed in an empty tableau column.

Should I always move an available card to the foundation?

Aces and 2s are normally safe. With higher cards, first check whether the card is needed to support a useful tableau sequence.

A small example of the right move order

Imagine that one column ends with the 7 of Spades and another ends with the 6 of Hearts. The Ace of Diamonds is buried directly beneath that 6. Moving the 6 of Hearts onto the 7 of Spades is useful because it creates a valid tableau sequence and uncovers the Ace, which can then move to its foundation.

If the 6 has no tableau destination, a free cell can hold it temporarily. Before using the cell, decide how the 6 will leave it. A free cell is a short-term work space, not a place to park a difficult card indefinitely.

How to decide whether a move is useful

A legal move is not necessarily a good move. Before dragging a card, ask:

1. Which card will this move uncover?
2. Will the moved card have another destination later?
3. Does the move consume my last free cell or only empty column?
4. Does it help an Ace, 2, or 3 reach a foundation?

If a move uncovers nothing and creates no extra space, it may simply transfer the same problem to another column.

Using free cells and empty columns together

Free cells are best for temporarily holding individual cards. Empty columns can hold a card or a movable sequence and also increase your sequence-moving capacity. A common plan is to use one or two cells to remove blockers, clear a column, and then use that column to rebuild the cards in a better order.

Try to leave at least one free cell open. When you create an empty column, do not immediately fill it with the first available card. Decide whether it should hold a key blocker, a King-led sequence, or a group of cards that will help you expose a low card.

Goals for each stage of a game

• Opening: Locate buried Aces and 2s and identify the easiest column to shorten.
• Middle game: Keep at least one cell open and work toward an empty column.
• Rebuilding: Create alternating-color sequences that remain within your movement capacity.
• Endgame: Once low cards are no longer needed in the tableau, move them steadily to the foundations.

Do not measure progress only by the number of moves. Available space and the number of blocked low cards are better indicators of whether the deal is improving.

More FreeCell questions

Is every FreeCell deal solvable?

Almost every standard deal is solvable, but a poor move order can still turn a solvable deal into a dead end. Undo to the point just before you filled the cells or used an empty column and try a different sequence.

Why can I move a sequence in one position but not another?

Sequence capacity depends on the number of empty cells and usable empty columns. The longer the sequence, the more temporary space it needs. See the multiple-card movement formula for exact examples.

Should beginners try to minimize moves?

Not at first. Focus on finishing deals reliably and learning to preserve space. Once that feels natural, you can begin improving your time and move count.