Is It Possible To Win Pyramid Solitaire? A Look At The Game

Ever since I was a young adult and got my first cell phone (a flip one!) with games on it, I’ve loved Pyramid Solitaire. 

This simple, quick, yet engaging solitaire game has been my favorite ever since I learned it. 

But when I teach it to new people, they often wonder how much it’s like regular solitaire. They usually ask: 

Is it possible to win Pyramid Solitaire? 

It’s possible and relatively easy to win at Pyramid Solitaire. Winning by simply clearing out the pyramid is somewhat common. Winning by clearing out the pyramid AND your pile is a bit tougher but doable with the right strategies. 

How Do You Win Pyramid Solitaire? 

This partly depends on which version of the game you’re playing. 

In most versions, you need to clear both the pyramid and the piles to win the game. 

This is a taller order when the cards in your pile aren’t always next to their matches. 

Clearing the pyramid on its own is relatively easy, though you’ll sometimes get stuck with a card’s match buried in the pyramid. 

Either way, the basic goal is the same: 

Make the cards add up to 13, and then take them off the board. 

This is done by adding up their numerical value to make 13. 

Here is a quick table of cards and their matches: 

Ace (1)	Queen (12)
Two	Jack (11)
Three	Ten
Four	Nine
Five	Eight
Six	Seven
King (13)	A Freebie!

Read more about card worth in Pyramid Solitaire.

Can You Win Every Game Of Pyramid Solitaire?

Like most solitaire games, there are times when you can’t win no matter what you do. 

While this game seems simple on its surface, maybe statisticians think it’s one of the most challenging games to win. 

The numbers I’ve seen (I didn’t crunch them myself) are between 0.5-5.5% in terms of if the game is won or not. 

What makes Pyramid Solitaire fun despite this is two-fold: 

• You’ll get more cards played and off the board than other solitaire games (even if you don’t end up getting them all)
• The path to solving is much clearer than in typical solitaire games, so you usually get it when it happens

It all comes down to the specific strategies you need to follow. 

Here’s a quick list of tips I’ve come up with in my decades of playing this game: 

• Look at the pyramid and notice matched numbers that are buried under one another. Use the pile to clear these cards above all else. 
• Try to keep the pyramid even in coming off. You’ll have more options this way. 
• If you have a couple of options, pick the card that opens up the most options. 
• When you have two cards next to one another in the pile, take them first (unless their matches are buried or stacked). 
• Don’t give up! Track your points by the number of cards off (five per card) and see if you get to 200. This is a sign that it was a good game! 

How Do You Lose Pyramid Solitaire? 

Losing Pyramid Solitaire is the opposite of winning. It’s when you get completely stuck and can’t make any more 13 matches to move them off to the side. 

In some versions of the game, they only let you go through the deck three times before you automatically lose. 

In most versions, you have infinite chances. But when you’re out of moves, it’s game over. 

Is Pyramid Solitaire A Game Of Skill Or Luck?

This Solitaire definitely has elements of luck and skill in it. 

The exact mix is up for debate, though. 

Luck needs to come in to make the Pyramid solvable. 

After this, it’s all skill. You need to be able to see where the stuck cards are and plan out how to get them out of the stacks.