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Solitaire (Klondike)·Card Games
Solitaire (Klondike)
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Casual play is simply won or lost. Computerised versions commonly award points per card sent to a foundation, per face-down card turned, and deduct for elapsed time or for recycling the stock — none of which is part of the traditional game.
Why people argue about this
People often assume that in casual play versions of Solitaire (Klondike), scoring is based on traditional methods like winning or losing outright without additional points for card movements or penalties for time or recycling stock. They misunderstand that these extra scoring elements are part of the modern, computerized version but not the classic game's rules.
To a foundation: start with an ace, then build up in the same suit — A, 2, 3 and so on to king.; Within the tableau: build down in alternating colours — a red six onto a black seven.; A face-up run may be moved as a unit if the sequence stays valid.
Why people argue about this
People often think they can only move face-up runs as units if all cards are in sequence from top to bottom of the run, but actually, you can move them even if there's a mix of different sequences within the same alternating color pile, as long as it maintains the valid build rule — moving down in alternating colors.
One standard 52-card deck, no jokers.; Cards rank ace (low) up to king on the foundations, and king (high) down to ace in the tableau.; Colour matters for tableau building: hearts and diamonds are red, clubs and spades black.
Why people argue about this
People often assume that jokers are allowed in a standard 52-card deck for Solitaire (Klondike), which leads to arguments about whether they should be included or not. However, the official rule clearly states it's a one-standard 52-card deck with no jokers, so this misconception frequently causes debate and confusion among players.
Deal seven tableau columns left to right: one card in the first, two in the second, up to seven in the last.; The top card of each column is face up; everything beneath is face down.; The remaining 24 cards form the stock, face down.
Why people argue about this
People often assume that the stock pile should be face up for easier card identification during play, leading them to argue about why it's kept face down as per the official setup. The confusion arises because this specific detail is crucial for maintaining a hidden element of strategy and preventing immediate card analysis by opponents.
To a foundation: start with an ace, then build up in the same suit — A, 2, 3 and so on to king.; Within the tableau: build down in alternating colours — a red six onto a black seven.; A face-up run may be moved as a unit if the sequence stays valid.
Why people argue about this
People often assume that you can only move face-up runs as a unit if they stay within the same suit, forgetting that the key part is keeping the sequence valid across different suits too — so moving a red six over to a black seven in the tableau isn't allowed just because it's a run.
The game is won when all 52 cards reach the foundations — four complete suits, ace to king.
Why people argue about this
People often think they've won when all 52 cards are in foundations without realizing that four complete suits (from ace to king) must be present for a true victory. The confusion arises because some players might see their piles of cards neatly arranged and assume they're close to winning, forgetting about the crucial suit requirement entirely.
Draw one vs draw three: the main difficulty lever.; Limited redeals: the stock may be recycled once, three times, or not at all.; Vegas scoring: "buy" the deck and earn per card on the foundations, tracked cumulatively across deals.
Why people argue about this
People often assume that in Solitaire (Klondike), you must always draw one card from the stock pile each time it's empty, but actually, they forget about the option of drawing three cards per turn when limited redeals are allowed—this is where the confusion arises because it can significantly impact strategy and how quickly a game might be completed.
Turn cards from the stock to the waste pile; the top waste card is playable.; Draw one or draw three — draw-three is markedly harder and is the traditional form.; When the stock empties the waste is turned over to reform it. Whether this is unlimited or capped is the single biggest difficulty set...
Why people argue about this
People often think you can only draw one card from the waste pile at a time, forgetting that sometimes you're supposed to draw three cards as per tradition, which is harder but more exciting. This leads to misunderstandings about when and how many cards should be drawn, especially during those crucial final moments of the game where every move counts.