Rules for FreeCell

FreeCell is one of the most popular solitaire games around, known for being almost always solvable and genuinely rewarding to think through. Unlike many solitaires, all cards are face-up from the start, so success depends on planning rather than luck. Over 99.9% of deals can be won.

The game was created by Paul Alfille in 1978 and became widely known when Microsoft bundled it with Windows from 1995 onwards. It is played with a standard 52-card deck and a typical game takes somewhere between 5 and 15 minutes.

The board has three main areas:

• Tableau: 8 columns in the center where all 52 cards are dealt face-up. The first 4 columns get 7 cards each, and the last 4 get 6 cards each.
• Free Cells: 4 empty spaces in the upper left used for temporary card storage.
• Foundations: 4 empty spaces in the upper right where you build each suit up from Ace to King.

Because all cards are visible from the start, you have everything you need to plan ahead before making your first move.

The goal is to move all 52 cards to the four foundation piles. Each foundation must be built up in order (Ace, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, Jack, Queen, King) using only cards of the same suit.

You win when all four foundations are complete, each holding 13 cards from Ace to King in one suit.

In FreeCell, you can only move one card at a time. The key rules are:

• Building in the tableau: Cards can be stacked in descending order with alternating colors (red on black, black on red).
• Free cells: Each of the 4 free cells holds one card and acts as temporary storage.
• Empty columns: An empty column can take any card or sequence.
• Foundations: Start with an Ace and build up to King in the same suit.

In practice, the game lets you move a sequence of cards in one step as long as you have enough free spaces to do it one card at a time.

Although you can only move one card at a time by the rules, you can effectively move a sequence of cards if the following conditions are met:

• The cards must be in proper order (descending with alternating colors).
• You must have enough free spaces to carry out the move step by step.

Maximum sequence length: Cards you can move = (free cells + 1) x 2^(empty columns)

Examples:
- 4 free cells, 0 empty columns = 5 cards
- 2 free cells, 1 empty column = 6 cards
- 0 free cells, 2 empty columns = 4 cards

A few things to keep in mind as you play:

• Prioritize Aces and Twos: Move these to the foundations early to free up space.
• Keep free cells open: Use them sparingly, and always have a plan to empty them again.
• Create empty columns: These are very useful because they can take long sequences.
• Plan ahead: Since every card is visible, take a moment to study the layout before moving.
• Avoid filling all free cells: If all four are occupied, you can only move one card at a time.
• Build sequences carefully: Long sequences can block access to cards you need later.

There are several variants worth knowing about:

• Baker's Game: Cards build down by suit rather than alternating colors, which makes the game harder.
• Eight Off: Has 8 free cells, but 4 of them start occupied.
• Seahaven Towers: Borrows elements from FreeCell and other solitaires.
• Easy FreeCell: Starts with Aces and Twos already placed in the foundations.
• Double FreeCell: Played with two decks for a bigger challenge.

Some things you might not know about FreeCell:

• Of the original 32,000 Microsoft FreeCell deals, only deal #11982 has been proven unsolvable.
• In 1994 and 1995, a group set out to solve all 32,000 deals. Only one turned out to be impossible.
• There are over 1.75 x 10^64 possible FreeCell deals.
• The game was originally written for the PLATO system at the University of Illinois.
• FreeCell is classified as an NP-complete problem in computer science.
• Research suggests FreeCell may help in identifying individuals with memory difficulties.

Beginners often run into these problems:

• Filling all free cells too soon: This cuts your options significantly and makes it hard to keep moving.
• Underestimating empty columns: An empty column is often more useful than a free cell.
• Moving cards to foundations too early: You may need those cards again before the game is over.
• Not thinking ahead: Since all cards are visible, there is no reason not to plan several moves in advance.
• Building sequences that are too long: This can trap cards you need to reach later.

Patience and forward thinking go a long way in FreeCell.