Pyramid Solitaire

How to play Pyramid Solitaire

Pyramid is a classic solitaire game of adding up to 13. Clear all 28 cards in the pyramid to win.

1. The deal. 28 cards form a pyramid of seven rows. The other 24 make the deck.
2. Card values. Aces count 1, number cards their number, Jacks 11, Queens 12 and Kings 13.
3. Remove pairs that make 13, like 6 and 7, 4 and 9, or Ace and Queen. Kings are 13 by themselves, so they’re removed alone.
4. Only uncovered cards count. A card is free when neither of the two cards below it is still there.
5. Use the deck. Tap the deck to turn over a card. The top card of the waste pile can pair with a pyramid card or another free card.
6. Three passes. You can go through the deck three times.
7. Clear the pyramid to win.

Quick tips for clearing the pyramid

• Learn the pairs: A+Q, 2+J, 3+10, 4+9, 5+8, 6+7, and K alone.
• Work from the bottom up. The top card is covered by everything, so clear paths to it early.
• Think before pairing from the pyramid. If two pyramid cards could pair with a deck card instead, keep one for later.
• Count what’s left. Each value has four cards, so you can tell when a partner card is gone.

Pyramid Solitaire FAQ