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Play Turn-1 Solitaire for Free Online

A Quick Guide

  • Turn-One Solitaire uses one standard deck with 52 cards.

    Turn-One Solitaire uses one standard deck with 52 cards.

  • The game’s objective is to build four stacks of cards, one for each suit, in ascending order in the Foundation piles.

    The game’s objective is to build four stacks of cards, one for each suit, in ascending order in the Foundation piles.

  • You can move cards between columns in the Tableau in ascending order, ensuring alternating colors.

    You can move cards between columns in the Tableau in ascending order, ensuring alternating colors.

  • You can draw only one card from the Stockpile. The drawn cards can be used to complete sequences in the Tableau or the Foundation piles. If the drawn card can’t be moved, you can draw another card by simply clicking on the Stockpile.

    You can draw only one card from the Stockpile. The drawn cards can be used to complete sequences in the Tableau or the Foundation piles. If the drawn card can’t be moved, you can draw another card by simply clicking on the Stockpile.

  • You can fill empty columns by moving a King there or a sequence starting with a King.

    You can fill empty columns by moving a King there or a sequence starting with a King.

Video Tutorial

How to play Turn-One Solitaire in a few minutes

How To Play Turn-One Solitaire, Video Tutorial

Enter the World of Solitaire!

Your search for the perfect card game has finally come to a triumphant end now that you’ve stepped foot in the fascinating world of Solitaire! Turn-One Solitaire is the gateway to this world, offering the classic and simplest version of the game while serving as the perfect introduction for newcomers.

The gameplay focuses on building card sequences based on rank and color. Cards are pre-arranged into columns of varying sizes, with the game’s rules making the game heavily reliant on foresight and strategy. Although luck does dictate what cards you draw, the game is mostly skill-based. Not to mention, learning new skills often brings cognitive benefits, and this game offers a whole range of them!

Strategy, fun, mental benefits, coolness—Turn-One Solitaire has it all! So what are you waiting for? Step into our wonderful Solitaire arena!

Are you ready to redefine your Solitaire experience?

Playing Turn-One Solitaire — The Layout

Turn-One Solitaire’s layout can be divided into four parts: the Tableau, the Stockpile, the Wastepile, and the Foundation piles. Each part works like a different organ in a body, making it crucial for players to fully understand their structure and function in the game. Having a solid grasp of the game’s layout will not only help you get started with Turn-One Solitaire but also lay the foundation for understanding more complex variants.

  • 1.The Tableau

    The Tableau consists of 28 cards drawn randomly from the deck and arranged into seven columns. The number of cards in each column increases from left to right, with the first column having one card, the second column having two cards, the third having three, and so on. Only the top card in each column is face-up and available for play.

    The Tableau
  • 2.The Stockpile

    The cards that aren’t dealt into the Tableau are placed face-down in the Stockpile. With the Turn-One rule, you can only draw one card at a time. Once you move a Stockpile card to the Tableau or the Foundation piles, you can’t move it back to the Stockpile.

    The Stockpile
  • 3.The Waste Pile

    The Wastepile is the empty space next to the Stockpile where drawn cards are placed. You can move these cards from the Wastepile to the Tableau or Foundation piles to help build sequences. When the Wastepile is full, and the Stockpile is empty, you can move all the cards back to the Stockpile and start drawing from there again.

    The Waste Pile
  • 4.The Foundation

    The Foundation consists of four piles — one for each suit. To win, you need to fill all these piles with cards in ascending order, from Ace to King. You can move cards to the Foundation from both the Stockpile and the Tableau. However, once cards are placed in the Foundation, they can only be moved back to the Tableau, not to the Stockpile.

    The Foundation

Become a Part of Solitaire’s Fabled History!

With its captivating gameplay and rich history, Turn-One Solitaire stands out as a top-tier card game, making it a worthy challenge for you to conquer!

King of the Solitaire

Get Ready to Become a Master of Playing Cards!

  • 1.Turn-One Solitaire’s appeal lies in its simplicity, and you just have to commit to memory a few rules to get started. Once this is achieved, what separates a good Solitaire player from a great one is the number of games they’ve played. And no, you don’t have to spend years practicing! Just start playing, and you’ll soon notice your brain making moves faster than your hand can move the mouse!

    Turn-One Solitaire’s appeal lies in its simplicity, and you just have to commit to memory a few rules to get started. Once this is achieved, what separates a good Solitaire player from a great one is the number of games they’ve played. And no, you don’t have to spend years practicing! Just start playing, and you’ll soon notice your brain making moves faster than your hand can move the mouse!
  • 2.In the Tableau, you can move the top card from one column to another if it's one rank lower and a different color. For example, you could place a 7 of Diamonds on an 8 of Spades. This rule also applies to sequences, so you can move an entire stack of cards if they’re in descending order. Another important thing to know about the Tableau is how to handle empty columns. As you play, you'll likely end up with some blank spaces. When that happens, you can only fill them with a King or a sequence starting with a King, which will give you more options for future moves.

    In the Tableau, you can move the top card from one column to another if it's one rank lower and a different color. For example, you could place a 7 of Diamonds on an 8 of Spades. This rule also applies to sequences, so you can move an entire stack of cards if they’re in descending order. Another important thing to know about the Tableau is how to handle empty columns. As you play, you'll likely end up with some blank spaces. When that happens, you can only fill them with a King or a sequence starting with a King, which will give you more options for future moves.
  • 3.The Stockpile is the heart of the game, as it pumps a constant supply of cards to the game’s main body (the Tableau). It essentially keeps things moving by letting you draw new cards to build sequences. You typically make use of it when you've run out of moves in the Tableau, but remember that it can also be used to find cards that complete sequences in the Foundation piles. If your Stockpile runs out, you can always refill it with the cards from the Wastepile.

    The Stockpile is the heart of the game, as it pumps a constant supply of cards to the game’s main body (the Tableau). It essentially keeps things moving by letting you draw new cards to build sequences. You typically make use of it when you've run out of moves in the Tableau, but remember that it can also be used to find cards that complete sequences in the Foundation piles. If your Stockpile runs out, you can always refill it with the cards from the Wastepile.
  • 4.Move cards to the Foundation spots — Ace to King — and arrange them according to their suits.

    Move cards to the Foundation spots — Ace to King — and arrange them according to their suits.

The Challenge

Building a Foundation pile for each suit in ascending order.

King of the Solitaire

Light-Bulb Tip!

When you're unsure of your next move and feeling stuck, the HINT button is always there to lend a hand. It’s perfect for those times when you're too tired to keep track of each and every card in the game and just want that sweet dopamine rush from a Solitaire victory!

Keyboard Shortcuts to Play

Hotkeys make life so much easier, and you’d be surprised to find out that this holds true for simple games like Solitaire as well. To optimize your experience on our platform, be sure to check out these useful keyboard shortcuts for Windows and Mac!

Windows

  • Undo:
    Ctr
    +
    Z
    or
    Backspace
  • Hint:
    H
  • Navigate:
  • Select:
    Space
    (once)
  • Move:
    Space
    in the new spot

Mac

  • Undo:
    delete
    or
  • Hint:
    H
  • Navigate:
  • Select:
    Space
    (once)
  • Move:
    Space
    in the new spot

Add These Strategies to Your Toolkit!

Learning Solitaire from ground zero on your own is awesome, but it’s never a bad decision to gather a few words of wisdom from experts who have traveled the same path before. Here are a few useful strategies that will not only improve your win rate at the game but also enhance your overall Solitaire experience.

Winning Tips and Quirky Tricks

  • Move Aces to the Foundation Piles as Soon as Possible

    Aces are the first cards to move to the Foundation piles, acting as the literal “foundations” for the cards that’ll follow them. Since the ultimate goal of the game is to complete the ascending-order sequences in the Foundation piles, it’s a wise strategy to fill these piles with Aces as soon as they’re uncovered.

    However, not all Aces reside in the Tableau — you might find a couple of them hiding in the Stockpile. So at the start of each game, cycle through the Stockpile to see if there are any Aces there. If you spot one, promptly move it to one of the Foundation piles. This trick will not only help you build and finish sequences in the Foundation piles quicker but also get an overview of what cards are present in the Stockpile. 

  • Always Prefer Moves That Empty Tableau Columns

    Once you start playing the game, it won’t take you long to realize how troublesome Kings can be in Solitaire. Kings are the hardest cards to move in the game — they are the last to move to the Foundation piles (thanks to the ascending order) and can only be moved to an empty column in the Tableau. Therefore, if you don’t want a Stockpile filled with Kings in the middle of your game, try to prioritize moves that lead to empty columns. Remember that the easiest column to empty is the leftmost one since it contains only one card.

  • Don’t Over-Rely on the Stockpile

    The Stockpile will always prove to be a great asset to you in the game as long as you use it wisely. Relying entirely on the Stockpile to build sequences in the Tableau and the Foundation piles might work initially, but soon enough, you’ll find yourself stuck in a rut. Therefore, your main focus in the game should always be the Tableau. Every time you move a card from the Wastepile to the Tableau, closely observe the new column landscape to see if you’ve opened up any new moves. Only once you’re absolutely sure that all moves have been exhausted should you turn your eyes towards the Stockpile.

  • Make Use of the UNDO Button!

    Mistakes are a natural part of any learning process, but what truly matters is how you correct those mistakes. Many players feel like using the UNDO button excessively is an indication of their lack of growth in the game. But the truth is, using the UNDO button means that you’re actively trying to get better at the game. It’s true that you’ll make lots of mistakes at first, but by using the UNDO button, you’re not only recognizing the mistake but also reversing your decision to rectify it — the perfect way to implement active learning!

  • Use the HINT Button Sparingly

    Sometimes our brains just want to bypass all the hard work and just teleport straight beyond the finish line. While there’s nothing intrinsically wrong with this approach, it should never turn into our default mode of operation. The same is true for Solitaire — the HINT button is an amazing tool for times when you’re too tired to strategize your moves, but it should never become a normal part of your games. Perhaps the biggest downside of relying too much on the HINT button is that it makes the game lose its challenge and, therefore, its appeal.

  • Fun Fact!

    May 22nd is celebrated as National Solitaire Day. Microsoft introduced this day in 2018 to commemorate the anniversary of Solitaire’s inclusion in Windows.

  • Did you know?

    There are over 500 known Solitaire variations, with the most popular ones being Klondike, Spider, and FreeCell.

  • Fun Fact!

    Some Solitaire variants use special cards known as Jokers, which act as wild cards. This means they can represent any card to help build sequences or complete Foundation piles.

  • Did you know?

    Microsoft included Solitaire in Windows to teach users how to drag and drop items using the mouse, a new skill for many at the time!

  • Fun Fact!

    The original creator of the first Solitaire game for Microsoft Windows was just an intern! His name is Wes Cherry, and he has never received any royalties for his work.

We’re Rooting for You!

Turn-One Solitaire is a game that has stood the test of time — from the tables of fortune tellers to the hands of elite Frenchmen, eventually crossing the Atlantic to America, and finally arriving at your fingertips thanks to the advent of personal computers and other electronic devices. By playing this game, you’re not only improving your mental skills but also joining a rich tradition that has captivated minds for centuries!

More Power to You!

We understand that playing Solitaire is not just about the game — it’s about the experience. Our platform is built to bring players to the heart of Solitaire. Your triumphs, challenges, and overall play experience drive our purpose. Let’s win together!

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