How to play FreeCell
FreeCell is the solitaire game that rewards thinking ahead. All 52 cards are dealt face up, so nothing is hidden and luck plays almost no part: with a little planning, every game on this site can be won.
The rules
The cards are dealt into eight columns. The goal is to move every card to the four foundations at the top right, building each suit up from Ace to King.
In the columns, build down in alternating colours: a red 7 can go on a black 8. The four free cells at the top left each hold one card while you rearrange the columns. Any card can start an empty column.
Moving cards
Tap or click a card to send it to the best place, or drag it where you want it. You can move several ordered cards at once when there are enough free cells and empty columns to do it one card at a time. Cards that are no longer needed go to the foundations by themselves. If you need one back, drag the top card of a foundation into play. Undo is unlimited, and Restart deals the same game again.
Tips for winning
- Look for the Aces and Twos first, and work towards the cards buried above them.
- Keep free cells empty for as long as you can. Each empty free cell lets you move one more card at a time, and an empty column doubles how many cards you can move together.
- An empty column is worth more than a free cell, so think twice before filling it with a single card.
- Build long ordered runs on Kings and Queens; they never have to move again.
- Before you use your last free cell, check that you have a way to empty one again. If you get stuck, undo a few moves and try another path.
Every game can be won
Solver programs have checked the first million FreeCell games, and only eight of them cannot be won. We never deal those eight, so every game here has a solution, even the ones that look hopeless at first. Read how we know.
Game numbers
Every game has a number, the same numbers as Microsoft FreeCell. Add it to the address, for example #617, to play or share a specific game.