FreeCell
Tap a card, then tap where it goes
What is FreeCell?
FreeCell is a free solitaire card game in which every card is dealt face up from the start. There is no stock pile and nothing is hidden, so there is no luck in what you draw - only in the deal itself, and almost every deal can be won. You build the four foundations up by suit from Ace to King, using eight tableau columns that stack down in alternating colours plus four free cells that each hold one card.
How to play FreeCell
Controls: Tap a card, then tap where it goes
- 1All 52 cards are dealt face up into eight columns.
- 2Move cards between columns by stacking them downward in alternating colours - a red 7 onto a black 8.
- 3Park a single card in any empty free cell to get it out of the way.
- 4Build the four foundations upward by suit, starting with each Ace.
- 5Get all 52 cards onto the foundations to win.
FreeCell tips and strategy
- Get the Aces and twos out early. Until they are on the foundations they are just blocking columns, and there is no benefit to holding them back.
- Guard your free cells. Filling all four leaves you able to move only one card at a time, which is how most losses happen - keep at least one open unless you can see the payoff.
- An empty column is worth more than a free cell, because it holds a whole sequence rather than a single card. Work toward emptying a short column early.
- Plan several moves ahead before you start. Everything is visible, so a position that looks stuck is usually a position you have not read properly rather than a lost game.
FreeCell FAQ
Is every FreeCell game winnable?
Almost. Of the original 32,000 numbered Microsoft FreeCell deals, all but one were shown to be solvable, and the rate for random deals is similarly high. In practice that means a loss is nearly always a mistake rather than a bad deal.
How many cards can I move at once?
As many as your free space allows: one card, plus one for every empty free cell, doubled for each empty column. With four empty free cells and no empty columns you can move five cards as a sequence.
What is the difference between FreeCell and Klondike Solitaire?
In Klondike most cards start face down and you draw from a stock pile, so luck plays a large part. In FreeCell every card is visible from the first move and there is no stock at all, which makes it a planning puzzle rather than a game of chance.
What is the best opening move in FreeCell?
Look for Aces and twos you can send straight to the foundations, then work out which columns you can empty. Emptying a column early is the single most valuable thing you can do, because it multiplies how many cards you can move as a unit.
