FreeCell is a solitaire card game where almost every deal is winnable with the right strategy. You have four "free cells" (each holds one card) and four foundation piles. The goal is to build the four foundations from Ace to King by suit. In the tableau, build down in alternating colors (red on black, black on red). Empty columns hold any card. There is no luck in the deal — your planning and skill decide the outcome.
FreeCell became famous when Microsoft included it in Windows. Players love it because winning feels earned: if you lose, you can study the same deal and try again. This version uses the same dark-green theme and Spanish-style cards as our Golf Solitaire. Play free — no download or signup.
FreeCell was created by Paul Alfille in the 1970s and was later included in Microsoft Windows, where it became one of the most played computer games of all time. Its "almost all winnable" property and lack of luck made it a hit with strategy fans.
Unlike Klondike, FreeCell has no draw pile — all 52 cards are visible from the start. That makes it a pure puzzle: every game is theoretically solvable with perfect play, and only a tiny number of deals are known to be unsolvable.
Eight columns form the tableau: the first four have seven cards each, the last four have six. Four free cells sit above (each holds one card). Four foundation piles are for building Ace to King by suit. All 52 cards are dealt face-up from the start.
Build down in alternating colors: red on black, black on red (e.g. 6♥ on 7♠). You may move one card at a time or a valid sequence of cards in order and alternating colors. Only the top card of a column (or the top of a sequence) can be moved.
Each free cell holds exactly one card. Use them to temporarily park a card so you can reach the card below it in a column. You can move any card to an empty free cell and back to the tableau or foundation when useful.
Build each foundation from Ace to King in one suit. Cards can only be moved to a foundation if they are the next rank and the correct suit (e.g. 2♠ on A♠). Once on a foundation, a card stays there. You win when all four foundations are complete.
An empty tableau column can hold any single card or valid alternating-color sequence. Use empty columns to reorganize cards and free blocked cards. Empty space is crucial for solving harder deals.
You win when all 52 cards are in the four foundations (Ace through King in each suit). There is no time or move limit. Take your time to plan — that's what makes FreeCell satisfying and rewarding.
FreeCell rewards planning. These strategies help you win more often:
Cards that can go to foundations are your progress. Try to expose Aces and low cards (2s, 3s) early so you can start building foundations. Use free cells to temporarily hold cards that block an Ace or a 2.
Don't fill all four free cells unless necessary. Keeping at least one free cell open gives you flexibility to move cards around.
Long alternating-color sequences in a column are powerful — you can move the whole run to an empty column if the bottom card fits. Try to create one long column so you have a "reserve" of movable cards.
Empty a column when it helps you uncover a key card or create a long sequence elsewhere. Don't empty a column just for the sake of it if you have no plan to use it.
You can only hold four cards in free cells. If you use all four for random cards, you may get stuck. Prefer using free cells to expose a card you need (e.g. an Ace) or to make a critical move, then clear the cell when possible.
In tough deals, try to keep at least one free cell empty. It acts as a "half empty column" and greatly increases your options.
Before moving, ask: "Will this move block something I need later?" FreeCell has no hidden cards, so you can plan. Avoid moving a card to a foundation too early if it could have helped in the tableau.
If you get stuck, undo and try a different order of moves. Many deals have one or a few solution paths — finding them is the fun.
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FreeCell is free with no paywalls. We also offer Golf Solitaire, Spider, and Klondike on the same site.