Play Pyramid Solitaire Free Online

How to Play Pyramid Solitaire

Pyramid Solitaire is dealt into a 28-card pyramid — a single card at the apex, then rows of two, three, four, and so on down to a base of seven, with each card overlapping the two below it. The remaining 24 cards form the stock, which you turn one at a time onto a waste pile.

The goal is to clear the whole pyramid by removing cards in pairs that add up to 13. Ranks count at face value, with Ace as 1, Jack as 11, and Queen as 12. That makes the matches Ace + Queen, 2 + Jack, 3 + 10, 4 + 9, 5 + 8, and 6 + 7. A King is worth 13 all by itself, so it clears with a single tap and never needs a partner.

You may only remove a card when it is exposed — that is, when no other card overlaps its bottom edge. Removing a pair frees the cards it was covering, which can unlock a cascade of new matches. A waste card can pair with any exposed pyramid card, so use the stock to find partners the pyramid can't supply on its own. Strip away the last row and the game is won.

In this version you play by tapping: tap a King to clear it, or tap one card and then its partner to remove the pair. Both cards have to be exposed at the same moment, so a card cannot pair with the card lying on top of it. Only the top card of the waste is in play. Tap the stock to turn one card at a time, and when the stock runs out you can turn the waste back over twice, for three passes through the stock in all. The board shows how many redeals you have left.

The game is won when the pyramid itself is empty, even if cards remain in the stock or waste. There is no points score, only a timer and a move counter. Undo takes back moves one at a time, and Hint points to a pair, a King or a useful stock draw. If it finds nothing, you can start a new deal, restart the same one, or keep playing. Our Pyramid Solitaire rules guide covers setup, play and six tips for clearing more pyramids.

Strategy Tips for Pyramid Solitaire

• Look for chains, not single pairs. The best move is the one that exposes two or three new cards, opening up the whole board.
• Track where the Kings are. A buried King blocks everything above the cards it covers, so dig toward Kings that are holding up progress.
• Don't spend a card you'll need. If a 6 is the only partner for a still-buried 7, hold it and find another route.
• Clear the base evenly. Work across the widest row so you don't strand a lonely card with its match locked behind it.
• Use the stock with intent. Flip stock cards to bridge gaps, but remember you cycle it a limited number of times — don't burn it aimlessly.
• Restart bad boards. Pyramid has a low win rate; recognizing a dead deal early and starting fresh is a skill of its own.

The most common mistake is pairing the first two cards you see. If an exposed 4 has two possible 9 partners, take the one that uncovers a card you need and leave the other in place. The second is careless use of the waste: once a card goes under the next stock card, it stays out of play until you clear the card above it or reach the next pass, and you get three passes in all. Before you flip, check whether the current waste card pairs with anything that is exposed or about to be. A King that turns up on the waste clears with a single tap, so remove it straight away rather than burying it under the next draw.

Pyramid is the least forgiving of the card games on this site. Many deals cannot be cleared because the partners a key card needs are buried beneath it or already used up, and no order of play gets around that. Treat Restart as a tool: replaying the same deal, knowing where the problem cards sit, is the fastest way to learn how the rows interact.

In the mood for more matched-removal fun? Climb the peaks in TriPeaks Solitaire, or switch gears and build foundations in classic Klondike Solitaire — all free to play here.