Pyramid Solitaire
Play Pyramid Solitaire free online by finding two free cards that add up to 13. Clear the seven rows from the bottom toward the top. Kings leave on their own, and suits do not matter. You can play here without downloading an app or creating an account.
How to play Pyramid Solitaire
Your goal is to remove all 28 cards in the pyramid. A card is free when no other card overlaps it. At the beginning, only the seven cards along the bottom are free; the cards above become available as you remove the two cards covering each one.
- Find a pair worth 13. Select one free card, then its partner. You can pair two free pyramid cards, or one with the face-up card beside the stock.
- Remove free Kings on their own. A King is already worth 13. Select it once; it does not need another card.
- Turn over a stock card when you need another choice. Select the face-down pile to reveal one card. Only the top card of this face-up pile, called the waste, is available.
- Keep clearing the pyramid. You win when all seven rows are empty, even if cards remain in the stock or waste.
The stock gives you three passes
The deal uses one 52-card deck: 28 cards in the pyramid and 24 in the stock. When the stock is empty, select its space to turn the remaining waste back over. You can do this twice, giving you the first pass plus two more. Removed cards stay out of the deck.
If no pair or free King is available and you have no draw or pass left, that attempt is over. You can use Undo or Restart to revisit it.
Card values and pairs that make 13
An Ace is worth 1, a Jack 11, a Queen 12 and a King 13. All other cards keep their printed number. These six pairs cover every possible match. Either card can be any suit or color.
1 + 12 = 13
2 + 11 = 13
3 + 10 = 13
4 + 9 = 13
5 + 8 = 13
6 + 7 = 13
Remove it on its own when it is free.
Pyramid Solitaire strategy: look one row ahead
When more than one pair is available, compare what each removal uncovers. A move that frees another card gives you more choices. Before using a card from the waste, look for other cards in the pyramid that may need the same partner. These are useful ways to plan, rather than a rule that one kind of pair always wins.
Five tips for choosing your next pair
You do not need to memorize the whole deck. Start by noticing what is blocking the next row.
- Check both covering cards. Removing just one does not free the card above it; look for a way to remove the other as well.
- Remove a free King when you see it. It needs no partner, so you do not have to save another card for it.
- Keep track of matching ranks. A 9 can only pair with a 4. If several 9s remain in the pyramid, notice which 4s are still available before choosing a pair.
- Look before drawing. A useful card on top of the waste will be covered by the next card you turn over.
- Use Undo to compare choices. If a pair blocks your progress, go back and try a different match instead of abandoning the deal straight away.
Help while you play
- Undo
- Take back a removal or stock action. You can step back through earlier moves to try another choice.
- Hint
- Highlight a suggested action. It may point to a pair, a King, or the stock. You still choose whether to play it.
- Restart
- Deal the same cards again from the beginning. Open the game menu to find Restart.
- New Game
- Start a different Pyramid deal. This replaces the current attempt.
Can I leave and come back to my game?
Your progress saves in this browser when storage is available. Come back on the same browser and device to resume. Clearing site data or closing a private browsing session can remove that saved progress.
Watch how to play Pyramid Solitaire
See the deal, card values and matching rule in a short video. The written instructions on this page cover the same basics.
Duration: 1 minute 38 seconds.
In this video
Can every Pyramid Solitaire deal be won?
A randomly shuffled Pyramid deal can be impossible. The New Game button here chooses from 1,000 deals checked by our solver, each with a way to clear the pyramid. That is a property of the starting deal: choosing a different pair can still leave you stuck. Undo lets you revisit a choice, and Restart lets you try the same opening again.
Pyramid Solitaire questions
Can I remove a King by itself?
Yes. A King already counts as 13, so select it once to remove it. It must be free in the pyramid or on top of the waste pile; a covered King cannot be played.
Can I match two cards from the waste pile?
No. Only the top waste card is available, and it can be paired with a free card in the pyramid. Two free pyramid cards can also form a pair. You cannot reach underneath the waste top or pair directly with the face-down stock.
How many times can I go through the stock?
This game allows the first pass and two more passes: three in total. When the stock is empty, select its space to turn the remaining waste back over, if a pass remains. The cards keep their draw order, with removed cards left out.
Do I have to clear the stock and waste to win?
No. You win as soon as the last card leaves the pyramid. Cards left in the stock or waste do not stop the win.
What percentage of Pyramid deals are winnable?
Our July 2026 check found a complete solution for 1,000 of 1,520 sampled deals, about 65.8%, under the rules used here. Four searches reached their limit without a verdict. This sample is not a universal win rate or a measure of how often people win. New Game uses a separately maintained pool of verified winnable starting deals. See our Solitaire win-rate research for the method and comparisons.
Does Hint always show a winning move?
Hint suggests an available action. It can use a quick rule-based suggestion while the solver searches, then use a saved solver result when available. A hint is not a promise that every later choice will work, or that a position you have already reached can still be won.
Try a pair, then see what opens
Return to your game and look along the lowest remaining cards. Choose a pair that makes 13, or remove a free King. Then check which cards above have become available.
Want a separate board to practice on? Open the illustrated Pyramid Solitaire guide for a playable lesson and a printable rules sheet.
