Pyramid Solitaire

Quick Rules

Pyramid Solitaire is a one-player card game played with a standard 52-card deck. Twenty-eight cards are dealt face up in the shape of a pyramid, seven rows high. Your goal is to clear the pyramid by removing cards in pairs that add up to 13.

  • Card values. Number cards count what they say. An Ace is 1, a Jack is 11, a Queen is 12 and a King is 13.
  • Pairs. Remove any two free cards that total 13: a 6 and a 7, a 3 and a 10, an Ace and a Queen.
  • Kings. A King is already 13, so it comes off by itself.
  • Free cards. A pyramid card is free when no card is lying on top of it. At the start, only the bottom row is free.
  • Stock and waste. The other 24 cards are the stock. The top stock card and the top waste card are free cards too. When nothing pairs up, turn the next stock card onto the waste pile.
  • Passes. When the stock runs out, you can turn the waste pile over and go through it again. The usual limit is three times through.
  • Winning. You win when the whole pyramid is gone.

How to play here: tap a free card and it lifts up with a thick ring around it. Tap its partner and both cards leave the table. Tap a King and it goes at once. Covered cards are greyed out and flat, so you can always tell which cards are in play. Press Turn Next Card when you need a new card from the stock.

Read the full Pyramid Solitaire rules with examples

Tips for Winning

  • Take Kings right away. A free King costs you nothing and often uncovers another card.
  • Pair inside the pyramid first. When two pyramid cards make 13, remove them before you use a stock card. Stock cards are your reserve.
  • Count the partners. There are only four of each card. If three Queens are already gone, the last Queen must be saved for the Ace that needs it.
  • Look at what is underneath. When you have a choice of pairs, pick the one that frees new cards higher up the pyramid.
  • Use Undo and Hint freely. Undo is unlimited. If you're stuck, the Hint button points to a sensible move and says why.

More Pyramid Solitaire strategy tips

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this Pyramid Solitaire free?

Yes. You can play as many games of Pyramid Solitaire as you like for free. There is no account to create, nothing to download, and no ads pop up between games.

Can every deal be won?

No. Pyramid Solitaire depends on the shuffle, and some deals cannot be cleared however well you play. With three passes through the stock, we find that somewhat more than half of all deals can be won. When you press New Game, the game quickly checks a few shuffles and gives you one it knows can be won whenever it finds one. A deal number you type in yourself is dealt exactly as it comes.

Which cards add up to 13?

An Ace counts 1, a Jack 11 and a Queen 12. So the pairs are Ace and Queen, 2 and Jack, 3 and 10, 4 and 9, 5 and 8, and 6 and 7. A King counts 13 all by itself, so it is removed with a single tap.

Why can't I tap a card in the pyramid?

A card can only be used when it is free, which means no other card is lying on top of it. Covered cards are shown greyed out and flat. Remove the two cards that overlap a card and it becomes free.

How many times can I go through the stock?

Three times, unless you change it. In Settings you can choose once, three times, or as often as you like. The table always shows which pass you are on.

Can I undo a move?

Yes, as many times as you like. Press the big Undo button to take back your last move, and keep pressing it to go further back, all the way to the start of the deal.

Does the game save my progress?

Yes. Your game is saved in your browser after every move, so you can close the page and pick up where you left off later on the same device. Your statistics are saved the same way.

Like games where the luck of the shuffle matters? Try classic Klondike solitaire. Prefer a pure puzzle with every card showing? FreeCell is the one for you.

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