FreeCell deals all 52 cards face up into eight columns, so the whole puzzle is in front of you from the first move: no stock to draw from and no hidden cards. Four free cells give you somewhere to park a card while you work everything onto four foundations, one per suit. The first computer version was written by Paul Alfille, then a medical student, for the PLATO teaching system, and Microsoft later made it part of Windows. Press Play now at the top of the page to deal a solo game right here, no account needed. A free account adds races against bots and other players.
Mobile gameplay: FreeCell
See the game board, controls and moves on a mobile screen.
How to play
- Build foundations upward from Ace to King in the same suit.
- Build table columns downward, alternating red and black.
- Each free cell holds one card. Any card can start an empty table column.
- Moving a sequence uses available temporary spaces. Capacity is (empty cells + 1) multiplied by 2 for each empty column other than the destination.
Example
With two empty cells and no spare empty column, you can move a run of up to three cards. One additional empty column doubles that capacity to six.
Playing tip
Filling all four cells with no way to empty one is the classic FreeCell trap: the board locks up like a car park with every exit blocked. Keep an empty column if you can; it lets you move much longer sequences and dig out buried Aces.
Choose a variant
Klondike Solitaire Online: How to Play with Cards
Free Online Spider Solitaire: 1, 2 or 4 Suits
Pyramid Solitaire: Rules and Play
Free TriPeaks Solitaire: Play and Rules
Yukon Solitaire: Rules and Free Online Play
Russian Solitaire Online: Play Free and Learn the Rules
Alaska Solitaire Game: Play Free and Learn the Rules
Frequently asked questions
Are any cards hidden?
No. Every card is visible from the start, so you can plan around the whole deal. And almost every FreeCell deal can be won, so when one beats you, the way out was usually there.
Can I play FreeCell online for free?
Yes. Press Play now at the top of this page and FreeCell opens right here in your browser, with no download and no account. With a free account you can also race another player on the same deal in Solitaire Duel.
Why can’t I move a correctly ordered run?
It is probably longer than your free spaces allow (see the capacity rule above). Free a cell or another column, or move a shorter part of the run first.