How to Win Solitaire: 12 Strategies & Tips

Solitaire often creates the illusion that every available move is progress.

A card can move, so you move it.

An Ace appears, so you send it to the foundation.

A column can be cleared, so you clear it.

But stronger Solitaire play requires another question:

What does this move make possible afterward?

That's where strategy begins.

You cannot control the initial deal, and not every possible deal is necessarily winnable under every ruleset. But you can improve how effectively you play the opportunities you're given.

If you're still learning the basics, start with our How to Play Solitaire beginner guide. Then use these 12 strategies while playing Solitaire Club on GameJo.

1. Scan the Entire Tableau Before Moving

The first available move isn't necessarily the best move.

Before touching anything, examine every column.

Look for:

• cards that can move;

• face-down cards that could be exposed;

• opportunities to create empty columns;

• competing destinations for the same card.

Suppose one black 8 can accept either of two red 7s.

Which 7 should you move?

The answer depends on what each move reveals underneath.

Scanning first prevents automatic decisions.

2. Prioritize Hidden Cards

Face-down cards are one of the biggest restrictions in Solitaire.

You can't use them.

You can't plan around them accurately.

You don't even know what they are.

Revealing a hidden card therefore gives you both information and opportunity.

When two moves appear similarly useful, favoring the one that reveals a hidden card can often be sensible.

3. Don't Automatically Send Every Card to the Foundation

This surprises many beginners.

The foundation is where the cards ultimately need to go, so moving a card there feels unquestionably good.

But a card on the tableau may still have work to do.

For example, a red 6 could be needed beneath a black 7 to move a sequence and expose a hidden card.

If you've already sent that red 6 away, you may have fewer options.

Before moving a card upward, ask:

“Could I still need this card on the tableau?”

4. Move Aces When Useful

Aces are different because they begin foundation piles.

Making accessible Aces available to the foundations is generally useful because higher cards of that suit cannot progress there until the Ace is present.

The same principle often applies to low cards, although you should still consider the board state.

The goal is controlled foundation progress—not mindless foundation progress.

5. Treat Empty Columns as Valuable Space

An empty tableau column is more than an empty area.

It's a strategic resource.

Under common Klondike rules, a King or sequence beginning with a King can occupy it.

That can let you relocate a large stack and reveal additional cards.

But don't create an empty column simply because you can.

Know how you're going to use it.

6. Choose the Right King

Suppose you've opened a column and can move either a red King or a black King into it.

Which one should you choose?

Look at the rest of the board.

Which color Queen is accessible?

Which King creates a longer useful sequence?

Which one helps expose more hidden cards?

This is a good example of why Solitaire decisions should be based on the board rather than a fixed rule.

7. Pay Attention to Color Balance

Tableau sequences typically alternate colors.

That means red and black cards depend on one another.

If you repeatedly build in a way that leaves useful cards of one color unavailable, you can restrict yourself.

When choosing between equivalent moves, look at what colors and ranks you'll need next.

8. Don't Click Through the Stock Mindlessly

Digital Solitaire makes it easy to cycle through stock cards quickly.

Resist that habit.

Watch what appears.

Try to remember:

• useful Kings;

• missing Aces;

• cards that could extend tableau sequences;

• cards you may need after making another move.

The stock is part of your strategy.

9. Prefer Moves That Create Options

This may be the most useful general Solitaire rule.

Imagine Move A creates one new legal move.

Move B reveals a hidden card and creates three possible moves.

All else being equal, Move B gives you more flexibility.

In a game with hidden information, options have value.

Try not to reduce your choices unnecessarily.

10. Think Before Moving Long Sequences

Moving a large sequence feels productive.

But examine both ends.

What does moving it reveal?

Where does the sequence go?

Does the destination card need to remain available for something else?

Will the move make it harder to rearrange the board later?

Large moves can have large consequences.

11. When Stuck, Rescan From Scratch

Players sometimes become convinced no moves remain because they've been staring at the same board for too long.

Stop.

Start at the leftmost tableau column and inspect every card systematically.

Then check:

• foundations;

• stock/waste;

• possible sequence moves;

• empty-column opportunities.

A fresh scan can reveal a move you overlooked.

12. Learn From the Move That Trapped You

When a game becomes stuck, don't think only:

“I lost.”

Try to identify when your flexibility disappeared.

Maybe you:

• moved a useful card to the foundation too early;

• filled an empty column with the wrong King;

• missed an opportunity to reveal a hidden card;

• chose the wrong red or black destination;

• ignored an important stock card.

Recognizing recurring errors is one of the fastest ways to improve.

A Practical Solitaire Decision Order

When several moves are available, consider them in this rough order—not as absolute rules, but as questions.

Can I reveal a hidden card?

New information is valuable.

Can I safely make foundation progress?

Check whether the card is still needed below.

Can I create useful empty space?

Only if you can use it.

Does one move create more future choices?

Prefer flexibility when other factors are similar.

What happens after this move?

Always look one step further.

Why You Still Won't Win Every Game

Strategy improves decision-making.

It doesn't guarantee that every deal can be solved.

Solitaire contains an element of chance because you don't choose the initial card arrangement.

That's important because it changes how you should measure improvement.

Don't judge yourself only by:

Did I win?

Also ask:

Did I make strong decisions with the information available?

That is something you can improve consistently.

How to Practice Solitaire More Effectively

Try deliberately slowing down for several games.

Before every significant move, say mentally:

“What does this reveal?”

or:

“What does this enable?”

This interrupts the habit of automatically clicking legal moves.

After a few games, the thought process becomes more natural.

You can practice this approach in Solitaire Club.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best strategy for winning Solitaire?

Prioritize revealing hidden cards, preserve useful tableau flexibility, use empty columns deliberately and avoid automatically moving every available card to the foundation.

Should I always move Aces in Solitaire?

Aces begin foundation piles and are generally useful to make available there. However, broader foundation strategy should still consider the current board and the rules of your version.

Should I always create an empty column?

No. Empty columns are useful only when you can take advantage of them, typically with an accessible King or valid King-led sequence under common Klondike rules.

Is every Solitaire game winnable?

No. Not every possible deal is necessarily solvable under every ruleset. In addition, potentially winnable deals can be lost through earlier decisions.

Can I practice Solitaire online?

Yes. You can play Solitaire Club on GameJo.

Win by Creating Better Choices

The strongest Solitaire strategy isn't a secret sequence of moves.

It's a way of thinking.

Don't ask only:

“What can I move?”

Ask:

“Which move gives me the strongest board afterward?”

Reveal hidden information.

Preserve useful cards.

Treat empty columns carefully.

Pay attention to the stock.

And choose moves that keep multiple paths open.

Put those strategies into practice with Solitaire Club on GameJo, and you'll begin seeing the board less as a pile of cards and more as a connected puzzle.