I don’t play a lot of solitaire games; I prefer playing with other people if possible.
But ever since I got my first flip phone (back in the dark ages) and Pyramid Solitaire came free with it, it’s been my favorite.
I was playing it the other day, and my father-in-law watched me before shaking his head and mumbling about how it was too complicated.
But here’s the truth! It’s a lot less complex than it looks.
This is why I wanted to go through the Pyramid Solitaire rules in this article and show you why it’s my favorite solitaire game, hands down.
Table of Contents
What You’ll Need To Play Pyramid Solitaire
As with many Solitaire games, playing couldn’t be more simple!
All you’ll need is a simple deck of 52 cards.
If you’re looking for some cool ones, I humbly recommend this pack. They are durable and look great!
On top of this, you just need the space to spread the cards out.
Setting Up Pyramid Solitaire
Setting up this game couldn’t be easier, but you do have to know where to begin.
Let’s start by shuffling the cards. (Take the jokers out, by the way.)
Place one card face up at the top of your playing space.
Now place two cards on top of that one. Make it so they only go about halfway on top of the first card both to the side and top-to-bottom.
Keep in mind the general pyramid shape we’re going for.
For the next row, place three cards on top of the two in a similar manner.
Continue in this way until you get to seven rows (the last row has seven cards).
Take the remaining cards and put them off to the side.
This pile is the stock pile. The space next to this is going to be the Waste pile.
It’s for the cards you’re moving through in the stock pile.
Another spot (usually farther from the stock pile) is for the Foundation.
This is where the cards go after you match them up.
It should look something like this:
Picture is taken from Pyramid Solitaire Online here.
How To Win Pyramid Solitaire
Winning Pyramid Solitaire is a little bit up to debate. Under most games, you only have to meet the basic or easy winning condition:
Clear all cards off the pyramid to win!
This method is pretty simple, though there are some times when it isn’t even possible.
I don’t know the exact number, but I still believe this is possible at least 50% of the time.
The harder method is the more traditional one:
Clear all the cards off the pyramid AND in the stock and waste piles.
This method is a lot more difficult. The numbers I’ve seen for this one put it at between 1-5%.
This is just for being solvable, not even considering if you play it right.
If you’re just starting, aim for the first goal.
If you want a challenge, aim for the next.
Pyramid Solitaire Rules
Move cards off the pyramid and from the stock and waste pile by matching them up.
When a pair of cards add up to 13, you can mate them and then move them off to the Foundation.
Numbered cards are worth their value (threes are worth 3), but face cards are different. Aces are 1, Jacks are 11, Queens are 12, and Kings are 13.
Kings are freebies and don’t need a pair.
(Some people play with Jokers as a wild card that can take any other card out of play.)
Check out our table on matching cards in the next section.
Only uncovered cards can be played. If a card is under another card at all in the pyramid, then it can’t be played.
At any time, you may turn over a stock card and put it face up in the waste pile. Then, you may also flip over another stock and keep it face up on the stock pile.
How To Match Cards
Cards can be matched from any combination of the stock, waste, and pyramid piles.
Yes, you can and should match stock and waste cards together. BUT you can’t change the order of the cards as they come across.
If you have an Ace in the waste and a Queen on top of the stock, you can match them up.
But if you have an Ace on the waste, flip and move over a 10 from the stock, and then a Queen shows up, you can’t move them around to match them.
When you run out of cards in the stock pile, simply flip the waste pile over and start again. Don’t shuffle at this point.
The game continues until you either meet one of the above winning conditions OR you run out of possible moves.
The most common reason for running out of moves is by leaving a card underneath its match in the pyramid, making it impossible to get off.
Cards And Matches
| Original Card | Its Match (Adding to 13) |
|---|---|
| Ace (1) | Queen (12) |
| Two | Jack (11) |
| Three | Ten |
| Four | Nine |
| Five | Eight |
| Six | Seven |
| Seven | Six |
| Eight | Five |
| Nine | Four |
| Ten | Three |
| Jack (11) | Two |
| Queen (12) | Ace (1) |
| King (13) | No match needed! |
Points In Pyramid Solitaire
Every app and program counts points differently. If you’re playing in-person with real cards, you probably don’t need to track points.
One method of points is with the goal of playing down to zero. Count how many cards you have left, and this is what your number of points are.
The other method is to add points (usually 5) for every card moved to the foundation pile.
The more points, the better.
Quick Tips For Pyramid Solitaire
There are some general tips for winning more you may want to follow (I mean, you do want to win, right?).
- Check out the pyramid. Look for cards whose matches are buried under them. Use your draw pile to clear them off if possible.
- Keep taking cards from the middle AND sides of the pyramid evenly if possible.
- When you have a choice, get rid of the match that opens up the most cards underneath it.
- If you have two cards that match next to each other in your pile, combine them first (unless the match is a buried one).
- You won’t win every time. Keep track of your wins and stay motivated. You’ll get better in time!
Check out our detailed Solitaire Pyramid Strategy list by heading over to this article.
