Plan before you move
Nothing is hidden, so take a few seconds at the start. Find the four Aces and twos and see how deep they're buried. Your first goal is to dig them out, starting with the ones closest to the bottom of their column.
Free cells are precious
- Try to keep at least one cell empty. With every cell full, one bad card can end the game.
- Before you put a card in a cell, know how you'll get it out again.
- High cards, like Kings and Queens, are the worst to park in a cell. They usually stay there a long time.
Empty columns are worth even more
How many cards you can move at once depends on your free space: (free cells + 1) × 2 for every empty column. With 4 free cells you can move 5 cards. With 4 free cells and one empty column you can move 10. Clearing a short column early often pays off for the rest of the game.
- When a column opens, don't drop a single card into it unless you must. A long ordered run is usually the better tenant.
- A King with a long run under it, placed in an empty column, never needs to move again.
Build long, tidy runs
- Build down in alternating colours whenever it uncovers something or lengthens a run you'll need.
- Avoid putting cards on a column that still hides a low card you need. You'll only have to move them again.
Let the foundations fill themselves
Cards that are safe to send home go there automatically. A card is safe when nothing could still need to be built on it. If you send a card home early yourself, make sure you won't need it in the tableau.
When you're stuck
- Undo back to the last point where you had an empty cell or column, and try a different order.
- Note the deal number and use Restart. With everything face up, a second try with a better opening often wins.