Pyramid Solitaire

A game takes only a few minutes, which makes Pyramid a good choice for a short break. Turn on Large mode for bigger cards and text, and use Undo and Hint as often as you need.

How to play Pyramid solitaire

The rules fit on one hand. Once you know the card values, the rest follows naturally.

1. Twenty-eight cards are dealt face up in seven rows. The top row has one card, the next has two, and so on down to seven cards at the bottom. Each row overlaps the row above it.
2. A card is free when no card from the row below covers it. Every card is covered by two cards beneath it, and both of those must be removed before it becomes free. The bottom row starts free.
3. Remove two free cards whose ranks add up to 13. An ace counts as 1, number cards count as their number, a jack is 11, a queen is 12 and a king is 13.
4. A king already adds up to 13, so a free king is removed on its own.
5. The other 24 cards form the stock. Click the stock to turn one card face up onto the waste pile.
6. Only the top waste card and free pyramid cards can be played. The top waste card can be paired with a free pyramid card.
7. When the stock runs out, you can turn the waste pile back over and go through it again. By default you get three passes through the stock, or you can choose unlimited passes in the Next game menu below the board.
8. You win when all 28 pyramid cards have been cleared.

Pairs that make 13

It helps to keep the six pairs in mind. After a few games you will spot them without thinking.

• Ace and queen
• 2 and jack
• 3 and 10
• 4 and 9
• 5 and 8
• 6 and 7
• A king on its own

Controls: mouse, touch and keyboard

Click or tap one card to select it, then click or tap its partner to remove the pair. A king is removed as soon as you click it. If you prefer the keyboard, press Tab to reach the board, use the arrow keys to move between cards, and press Enter to select. Press D to draw from the stock, U to undo and H for a hint.

The Hint button highlights a pair you can remove, or suggests drawing a card when no pair is available. Undo takes back your moves one at a time. Pause freezes the clock, and it also stops on its own whenever this tab is hidden.

Pyramid strategy tips

• Look before you draw. Check the whole pyramid for free pairs before you turn the next stock card.
• Work from the bottom up, but think about the top. The single card at the peak is often the hardest to reach, so plan a route to it early.
• When two cards could pair with the same partner, choose the one that frees more cards above it.
• Try to clear cards evenly from both sides of the pyramid. A lopsided pyramid can leave important cards trapped.
• Watch for a card that covers its own partner. A 7 sitting over the 6 it needs cannot pair with it, so make sure another 6 is free for it.
• Do not rush to pair waste cards with pyramid cards. Sometimes it is better to keep a pyramid card for a partner that is also in the pyramid.
• With three passes, count what is left. On your last pass, every draw matters.
• Use undo to test an idea. If a plan leads nowhere, take it back and try another order.

Scoring

Each card you remove scores 5 points. Clearing the whole pyramid adds a bonus of 250 points. Your personal best, moves and time are saved in your own browser, so you can try to beat them next time.

Variations and related games

Pyramid has many house rules. Some versions allow only one pass through the stock, which makes the game much harder, while others allow as many passes as you like. Some let you pair the top stock card as well as the top waste card. Our version uses the top waste card only, with three passes or unlimited passes. If you enjoy clearing cards rather than building piles, try TriPeaks, where you play cards one rank higher or lower. When you have more time, Klondike or Spider will keep you busy with a whole deck to sort.

A short history of Pyramid

Pyramid belongs to a family of adding solitaires, where cards are removed in pairs or groups that reach a set total. Games of this kind appear in older collections of patience games, and Pyramid is thought to date back at least to the early twentieth century. It became far better known once it was included in computer card game collections, and today it is one of the most popular quick solitaires.

Common questions