Pyramid Solitaire – Play Online for Free

This version of Solitaire is deceptively simple, but it can rarely be solved on the first attempt. Unlike classic Klondike Solitaire, Pyramid Solitaire is all about removing cards rather than building stacks. You pair up cards whose values add up to 13 and gradually dismantle a pyramid of 28 cards. The rules are quick to learn, but finding the right sequence of moves requires genuine foresight. Don't be discouraged: with a talent for combinations and a bit of strategic thinking, this Solitaire game can be solved more often than it might seem.

Clear the Cards from the Board

You play with a standard 52-card deck. Unlike classic Solitaire, you are not building anything here. Instead, the goal is to make cards disappear.

Pyramid Solitaire begins with 28 cards arranged face-up in the shape of a pyramid: one card forms the peak, followed by a row of two, then three, and so on, with the bottom row consisting of seven cards. The face-down stock pile sits in the top left. A discard pile builds up alongside it as the game progresses. Your task is to dismantle the pyramid by removing matching pairs of cards.

This game is based on the point values of the cards:

• Ace = 1 point
• Two through Ten = face value
• Jack = 11 points
• Queen = 12 points
• King = 13 points

To dismantle the pyramid card by card, remove two exposed cards from the board if their combined value equals 13. For example, you can remove an eight and a five, a jack and a two, or a queen and an ace. At 13 points, the king is the only card that can be removed on its own.

If you cannot make a total of 13 with two cards, you can draw from the stock pile. Click on the pile to reveal a card, which can then be paired with a free card from the pyramid. For example, a seven from the pyramid can be matched with a six from the pile. Note that you can only go through the stock pile three times at normal difficulty.

The game is won as soon as the pyramid is completely dismantled, regardless of whether there are still cards in the stock pile. If no more pairs can be found, or if the pile has been played three times and cards remain in the pyramid, the game is lost.

How to Play Pyramid Solitaire

To start, choose a difficulty level. You can also enable the TIME LIMIT option, set the challenge time, and click START GAME.

At the start of the game, the pyramid is formed by seven rows of face-up cards, with only the bottom row initially playable. The stock pile is face-down in the top left. Each playable card you click looks for an exposed card that totals 13 points with it, and both disappear from the board. Note that the game does not always pair the card you had in mind, so pay attention to which card you activate.

Menu bar options:

• EASY, NORMAL or HARD starts a new pyramid at the selected difficulty.
• RESTART deals the same card layout again.
• UNDO reverses your moves; REDO restores them.
• HINT shows a possible move.
• PAUSE darkens the screen.
• The TIME DISPLAY shows how long you have been playing. If the time limit is active, it counts down to zero.
• The three counters on the right show the number of moves made, the number of cards still face-down in the stock pile, and the number of times you have played through it.

Strategic Tips

Anyone who takes on this version of Solitaire quickly discovers that it takes more than the ability to add two numbers to 13. The following tips are an excellent starting point for appreciating the many facets of Pyramid Solitaire.

Tip 1: Check the board. Sometimes you can tell whether a pyramid can be dismantled before you make your first move. For example, if the pyramid's peak is a queen and all four aces are buried deep beneath it in the pyramid, there is little point in starting.

Tip 2: Match the stock pile with the pyramid. The stock pile is played unshuffled on the second and third pass. The cards always come up in the same order. Knowing which cards will be drawn and when can be useful for assessing your chances of finding a solution.

Tip 3: The pyramid comes before the stock pile. If the pyramid contains three cards of the same value, for example three nines, try to save the fourth for later if possible. Instead, use the exposed cards to dismantle the pyramid further. In this Solitaire game, the number of cards in the stock pile does not affect the outcome.

Similar Solitaire Games

Golf Solitaire and Tri Peaks Solitaire share the card-clearing spirit of Pyramid but take it in a different direction. Golf deals seven columns of face-up cards and challenges you to build a single long sequence up or down from the waste pile, aiming to clear as many cards as possible before the stock runs out. Tri Peaks gives you three overlapping peaks to dismantle, and the chaining mechanic rewards keeping a run of connected cards going for as long as possible.

Crescent Solitaire steps up the complexity with two full decks and a distinctive layout. Eight foundation piles sit at the centre and must all be built in suit simultaneously, working inward from both Aces and Kings. It requires a different kind of patience than the quick-fire clearing of Pyramid, but rewards careful planning in the same way.