What is the goal of FreeCell?

Move all 52 cards to the four foundations, building each suit from Ace through King.

How is FreeCell set up?

All 52 cards are dealt face up into eight cascade columns. The first four columns have seven cards, and the last four columns have six cards.

What can go in an empty cascade column?

Any single card or valid descending alternating-color sequence can move to an empty cascade column if the free cells and empty columns provide enough space.

How many cards can I move at once in FreeCell?

You can move a sequence based on the available space. More empty free cells and empty cascade columns let you move longer sequences.

Can foundation cards move back to the cascades?

On Classic Deck Games, a foundation card can move back to a cascade if it makes a legal descending alternating-color move.

Is FreeCell different from Solitaire?

Yes. FreeCell deals all 52 cards face up, so the game is mostly about planning and move order. Klondike Solitaire has hidden tableau cards and a stock pile, which adds more luck.

Are all FreeCell games winnable?

Nearly every classic FreeCell deal is solvable with perfect play, but a few deals are impossible and many solvable deals can still be lost by move order.

How do free cells work?

The four free cells are temporary spaces. Each one can hold one card, and keeping them open lets you move longer sequences between cascade columns.

How does FreeCell scoring work?

You earn +10 points for each card moved to a foundation and lose 15 points when you move a card back from a foundation to a cascade. Other moves do not change the score.

Does Undo change my FreeCell score?

Yes. Undo steps back through your moves and restores the score from before the undone move.

What is a good FreeCell score?

A perfect win without pulling cards back from foundations scores 520 points (52 cards × 10). Fewer moves and faster times are tracked separately in Statistics.

FreeCell Rules — How to Play FreeCell Solitaire

FreeCell Solitaire is a one-player card game where every card is visible from the start. Use four free cells and eight cascade columns to move all cards to the foundations.

Play FreeCell

Goal of the game

The goal is to move all 52 cards to the four foundations. Each foundation is built by suit from Ace to King.

Because every card is face up, FreeCell is more about planning than luck. You can inspect the full board before choosing your first move.

FreeCell setup

Cascades: eight face-up columns where most card moves happen.
Free cells: four temporary spaces that can each hold one card.
Foundations: four suit piles built upward from Ace to King.
Deck: one standard 52-card deck with no jokers.

Legal moves

Move a top card from one cascade to another when it lands on the next higher rank in the opposite color.
Move a top card to an empty free cell if one is available.
Move a card from a free cell back to a legal cascade position.
Move Aces to foundations, then build each foundation upward by suit.
Move any card or legal sequence to an empty cascade column when enough space is available.

How multiple-card moves work

FreeCell lets you move a descending alternating-color sequence when the empty free cells and empty cascade columns provide enough temporary space.

As a simple rule, more open spaces mean longer moves. Filling every free cell leaves you with only single-card moves, while empty columns can unlock much larger sequence moves.

Foundation rules

Foundations start with Aces and build upward by suit: A, 2, 3, and so on to King.

On Classic Deck Games, manual foundation moves are allowed whenever they are legal. Automatic foundation moves are more careful and only move safe cards, so the game does not remove useful middle cards too early.

How to win

You win FreeCell by moving all cards to the foundations. Nearly every classic FreeCell deal is solvable, but a poor move order can still block a position.

Use Undo and Hint to compare branches. A few moves of backtracking can often recover a deal that looks stuck. A tiny number of famous deals, including #11982, are genuinely impossible.

FreeCell scoring

Classic Deck Games uses a simple FreeCell score inspired by classic solitaire bonuses. Your score updates as you play and is shown above the table next to moves and time.

+10 — Card to foundation: Each card moved from a cascade or free cell to a foundation, including auto-complete moves.
-15 — Foundation back to cascade: Pulling a card down from a foundation when you need it back in the cascades.

Cascade-to-cascade and free-cell moves do not change your score.
Undo reverses both the board and the score change from the undone move.
Auto-complete awards foundation points for each card that flies to a foundation.
Statistics track your best score locally in the browser — no account required.

Frequently asked questions

What is the goal of FreeCell?: Move all 52 cards to the four foundations, building each suit from Ace through King.
How is FreeCell set up?: All 52 cards are dealt face up into eight cascade columns. The first four columns have seven cards, and the last four columns have six cards.
What can go in an empty cascade column?: Any single card or valid descending alternating-color sequence can move to an empty cascade column if the free cells and empty columns provide enough space.
How many cards can I move at once in FreeCell?: You can move a sequence based on the available space. More empty free cells and empty cascade columns let you move longer sequences.
Can foundation cards move back to the cascades?: On Classic Deck Games, a foundation card can move back to a cascade if it makes a legal descending alternating-color move.
Is FreeCell different from Solitaire?: Yes. FreeCell deals all 52 cards face up, so the game is mostly about planning and move order. Klondike Solitaire has hidden tableau cards and a stock pile, which adds more luck.
Are all FreeCell games winnable?: Nearly every classic FreeCell deal is solvable with perfect play, but a few deals are impossible and many solvable deals can still be lost by move order.
How do free cells work?: The four free cells are temporary spaces. Each one can hold one card, and keeping them open lets you move longer sequences between cascade columns.
How does FreeCell scoring work?: You earn +10 points for each card moved to a foundation and lose 15 points when you move a card back from a foundation to a cascade. Other moves do not change the score.
Does Undo change my FreeCell score?: Yes. Undo steps back through your moves and restores the score from before the undone move.
What is a good FreeCell score?: A perfect win without pulling cards back from foundations scores 520 points (52 cards × 10). Fewer moves and faster times are tracked separately in Statistics.

Play FreeCell