Rules of the game
Clear the tableau and build 4 suited foundations while drawing the stock 3 cards at a time.
- Build tableau columns downward in alternating colors.
- Only the top card of the visible waste group can be played.
- Only a King, alone or with its sequence, can enter an empty column.
- Foundations rise by suit from Ace to King, and the stock can be recycled.
Understand the layout
Tableau
28 cards form 7 columns, with 1 face-up card at the end of each column.
Stock and waste
The remaining 24 cards are revealed 3 at a time. Playing a waste card changes which cards become available on later passes.
Foundations
Build 4 suited piles upward from Ace to King.
Concrete move examples
Legal move
Play the top available waste card onto the next higher opposite-color tableau card.
Illegal move
Play a covered card from inside the visible waste group, or move a mixed-color descending group as one sequence.
How to play well
Draw-three Klondike is largely about preserving access to the stock. Removing one waste card changes the groups you will see on the next pass, so think beyond the card currently on top.
Use tableau moves to expose face-down cards, but keep track of the waste order. A useful move can be delayed if playing it now hides a more important card for an entire pass.
Empty columns are best used to reorganize long King-led sequences. Filling one without a follow-up plan often reduces the few options that make the stock order manageable.
Useful tips
- Count the waste cards to anticipate the next visible group.
- Open hidden tableau cards before making cosmetic foundation moves.
- Use empty columns to reposition long sequences.
Mistakes to avoid
- Do not play the first available waste card without checking what follows.
- Do not fill an empty column with a King that blocks a better sequence.
How the game ends
You win when every card reaches a foundation. A deal can become blocked even while cards remain in the stock order.
Common questions
Which waste card can be played?
Only the top card of the currently exposed waste group is available.
Can the stock be recycled?
Yes. This implementation recycles the waste when the stock is empty.
Why does playing one waste card matter?
Removing it changes the grouping and can expose different cards during the next pass.