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How to Play Pyramid Solitaire: Rules, Strategy & Winning Tips

Pyramid Solitaire is a quick card game where you clear a 28-card pyramid by pairing cards that add up to 13. Here are the rules, the setup and the strategy that wins.

To play Pyramid Solitaire, deal 28 cards into a seven-row pyramid, keep the other 24 as a stock, and remove exposed cards in pairs that add up to 13. Aces count 1, Jacks 11, Queens 12, and a King is 13 on its own. A card is only playable once both cards resting on it have gone. That is the whole game, and the strategy is entirely about which valid pair to take when you have two. This guide covers the rules, the setup and the tactics that decide most deals.

Pyramid Solitaire layout showing card pairs that total 13

The Goal of Pyramid Solitaire

The objective is simple: remove every card from the pyramid. You do that by selecting pairs of exposed cards whose values total 13. Aces are worth 1, Jacks 11, Queens 12, and Kings 13, which means a King is removed all on its own.

How to Set Up Pyramid Solitaire

1
Build the pyramidDeal 28 cards face-up in a pyramid of seven rows: one card on top, then two, then three, and so on down to seven cards on the bottom row. Each card is partly covered by the two cards below it.
2
Set the stockPlace the remaining 24 cards face-down as a stock pile, with space for a waste pile beside it.
3
Know what's 'free'A pyramid card can only be played when both cards resting on top of it have been removed. The bottom row starts fully exposed.

How to Play

  • Pair any two exposed cards that add up to 13 (for example 9 + 4, Queen + Ace, or 7 + 6) to remove them both.
  • Remove any exposed King by itself, since it is already worth 13.
  • Turn cards from the stock to the waste pile when you are stuck; the top waste card can be paired with any exposed pyramid card.
  • Keep clearing until the pyramid is empty. If you run out of moves and the stock, the game is blocked.

Pyramid Solitaire Strategy: 6 Tips to Win More

  1. Free the pyramid first. Prioritize pairs that free the most covered cards over pairs that only use the stock, because opening the structure gives you more options later.
  2. Look two moves ahead. Before removing a pair, check whether one of those cards is the only partner for a card you will need to expose later.
  3. Don't rush the Kings. Kings clear alone any time, so leave them until removing them actually unblocks a lower card.
  4. Mind your stock count. With limited redeals, spend stock cards deliberately. A card you skip now may not come back around.
  5. Keep balance across columns. Clearing one side of the pyramid too fast can strand cards on the other side with no valid partner.
  6. Use Undo and Hints to learn. When you practice online, replaying a blocked board teaches you which early pair caused the dead end.

Play Pyramid Solitaire Free in Your Browser

The fastest way to master these tactics is to play. The fastest way to learn which pair to take is to lose a few deals and look back at the move that blocked you. You can play Pyramid Solitaire free online right here, with no download and no sign-up, or warm up with Classic Klondike and TriPeaks Solitaire.

Frequently Asked Questions

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