Is every FreeCell game winnable?

Almost. Of the original 32,000 numbered Microsoft deals, all but one are solvable — about a 99.999% win rate. The one famous exception is deal #11982. In random play you'll occasionally hit an unwinnable board, but it's extremely rare, so a loss is usually down to a misplay rather than a bad deal.

What are the free cells for?

The four free cells are temporary parking spots, each holding a single card. You use them to lift a card out of the way so you can reach the cards beneath it, then move it back to the tableau or up to a foundation when it fits. The more cells you keep empty, the more cards you can move in one supermove.

How many cards can I move at once?

On its own, FreeCell moves one card at a time, but supermoves let you shift an ordered run automatically. The maximum is (free cells + 1) × 2 to the power of (empty columns). For example, two open cells and one empty column let you move six cards at once. Fill everything up and you're back to moving just one.

How is FreeCell different from regular (Klondike) solitaire?

In FreeCell every card is dealt face up, so there's no hidden information and nearly every deal can be solved with skill. Klondike keeps most cards hidden and relies on the luck of the draw pile, so many Klondike deals simply can't be won no matter how well you play.

Do I have to send cards to the foundation right away?

No, and you often shouldn't. Once a card is on a foundation it's usually locked there. Sending a card up too early can rob you of a building block you needed on the tableau, so promote cards only when it's safe and won't break a sequence you're relying on.

Is FreeCell free to play here?

Yes. FreeCell is completely free in your browser with no signup and no download. You can deal a new game instantly, undo moves while you learn, and play as many boards as you like.

How to Play FreeCell Solitaire

FreeCell is the thinking person's solitaire. Unlike Klondike, every card is dealt face up, so there is no luck of the draw hiding cards from you. Almost every deal can be solved with the right sequence of moves, which makes FreeCell a pure puzzle of planning and patience. This guide covers the full rules, the supermove trick that speeds up play, and the simple strategy that turns frustrating boards into wins.

FreeCell is a single-player solitaire game played with a standard 52-card deck. What sets it apart from most solitaire variants is that all 52 cards are dealt face up at the start. You can see everything, so winning is a matter of skill and forethought rather than chance. The game gets its name from the four "free cells" that act as temporary parking spots while you untangle the board.

The goal

Your objective is to move all 52 cards onto the four foundation piles. Each foundation is built up by suit, starting with the Ace and finishing with the King: A, 2, 3, 4, and so on up to K. Clear all four foundations and you win.

The layout

The board has three areas:

The tableau — eight columns where the deck is dealt. The first four columns hold seven cards each and the last four hold six cards each. All cards are face up.
The four free cells — empty spaces, usually in the top-left corner. Each one holds exactly one card at a time.
The four foundations — empty piles, usually in the top-right corner, one per suit, that you build up from Ace to King.

How to move cards

There are only a few rules, but they combine into deep strategy.

Building in the tableau: You may place a card onto another tableau card if it is one rank lower and the opposite color. Reds are hearts and diamonds; blacks are spades and clubs. For example, a red 7 (7♥ or 7♦) can go on a black 8 (8♠ or 8♣). This is the same alternating-color rule used in Klondike solitaire.
Free cells: Any available card — the top card of a column or a card already sitting in a free cell — can be moved into an empty free cell. From there you can move it back to the tableau or up to a foundation when it fits.
Foundations: Move cards to the foundations in ascending order by suit, beginning with each Ace. Once a card is on a foundation it is generally locked away for good, so send cards up only when you are sure you will not need them to build elsewhere.
Empty columns: When you clear an entire column, that empty space can hold any single card or a valid sequence. Empty columns are the most powerful resource on the board.

Supermoves: moving stacks at once

Technically, FreeCell only ever lets you move one card at a time. But because free cells and empty columns can hold cards temporarily, most digital versions let you move an ordered run of cards in a single action called a supermove. The game just automates the shuffle through the free cells for you.

The number of cards you can move at once depends on how many free cells and empty columns you have. The formula is:

(free cells + 1) × 2^(empty columns)

So with all four free cells open and no empty columns, you can move 5 cards (4 + 1). With two free cells open and one empty column, you can move (2 + 1) × 2 = 6 cards. This is why keeping cells and columns free matters so much — your moving capacity collapses to a single card when everything is full.

Why nearly every deal is winnable

Here is FreeCell's most famous trait. Of the original 32,000 numbered Microsoft deals, all but one have been proven solvable — a win rate of about 99.999%. The single unsolvable board is the legendary deal #11982. Across the first million numbered deals, only eight are known to be impossible. No other mainstream solitaire comes close.

The reason is that nothing is hidden. With every card visible from the start, a perfect player can plan a full path to victory. When you lose at FreeCell, it is almost always because of a misstep, not a bad deal — which is exactly what makes it so rewarding to master.

Strategy tips

Free your Aces and 2s early. They have to go to the foundations first, so dig them out before they get buried.
Guard your free cells. Each occupied cell cuts how many cards you can move. Treat the cells as short-term loans, not storage.
Fight for an empty column. An empty column doubles your moving power and acts as a flexible workspace. It is worth several moves to create one.
Plan before you touch a card. Look several moves ahead. Because nothing is hidden, you can often map a whole sequence before committing.
Do not rush cards to the foundation. A 6 sent up too early may leave you unable to park a 7 you needed to keep on the board. Use the auto-safe-move feel: only promote when it cannot hurt you.
Use undo to learn. If a board stalls, back up and find where your options narrowed. The mistake is usually earlier than it feels.

If you enjoy FreeCell

FreeCell is a great gateway into other solitaire and card puzzles. For a tougher single-player challenge, try Spider solitaire, which juggles two decks and ten columns. If you prefer playing against other people, our trick-taking games scratch a similar planning itch — Spades and Hearts reward reading the table, while Tien Len and Briscola add fast, social rounds. Rummy fans can deal into Indian Rummy or the classic Indian trick game Seep, and if you want a pure pattern puzzle, Mahjong solitaire is one tap away.

Play now

No downloads, no signup, no waiting. Deal a fresh board and put your planning to the test — almost every game can be won, so the only thing standing between you and a clean sweep is the next move. Play FreeCell free in your browser.