Can I pair two cards from the stock?

Yes, you can pair two stock cards together if their values add up to 13. You can also pair a stock card with an uncovered card from the pyramid.

What happens if I cannot make any more pairs?

If you cannot make any pairs from the pyramid or the stock, and you have exhausted your passes through the stock, the game ends. You lose if any cards remain.

Is there a limit to how many times I can go through the stock?

The number of passes through the stock varies between versions. Many versions allow only one pass. Check the rules of the specific game you are playing.

Can I remove a King from the pyramid even if other cards are blocking it?

No. A King, like any other card, is only available when no card overlaps it. You must first remove the cards covering it.

Pyramid Solitaire Rules: Pairing Cards to 13

Pyramid solitaire rules differ from Klondike in one key way: you remove pairs of uncovered cards whose values add up to 13. Instead of building sequences by suit, you match cards by rank. A King is removed on its own because it already equals 13. Learn the setup, the card values, and the strategy that clears the pyramid fastest.

Setup and Layout

Pyramid solitaire uses one standard 52 card deck. Deal 28 cards face up in the shape of a pyramid. The pyramid has 7 rows, starting with 1 card at the top and 7 cards at the bottom. Each row overlaps the row above it, covering the lower part of the cards in the higher row. The remaining 24 cards become the stock. Place them face down to one side.

Only cards that are not overlapped by any other card are available to play. In the starting layout, all 7 cards in the bottom row are uncovered. Cards in higher rows become available only after both cards overlapping them have been removed.

Card Values and Pairing to 13

Each card has a point value for pairing. Number cards count their face value. An Ace equals 1. A Jack equals 11. A Queen equals 12. A King equals 13.

Remove pairs of uncovered cards whose values add up to 13:

Queen (12) with Ace (1)
Jack (11) with 2
10 with 3
9 with 4
8 with 5
7 with 6

A King (13) is removed on its own. Do not pair it with another card.

How to Play Pyramid Solitaire

Removing Cards from the Pyramid

Start with the 7 cards in the bottom row. Find any two that add up to 13. Click or tap them to remove them. A King among the uncovered cards can be removed alone. After removing a pair or a King, check which cards above are now uncovered. Those new cards become available for pairing.

Using the Stock and Waste Pile

When no pairs remain among the uncovered pyramid cards, turn to the stock. Turn over one card at a time. Pair a stock card with an uncovered pyramid card, or with another stock card, as long as their values add up to 13. A King from the stock can be removed on its own. The number of passes through the stock varies between versions. In many versions you may go through the stock once. If you cannot use a stock card, set it aside face up in the waste pile. Check the waste pile on every turn. Pair waste cards with uncovered pyramid cards or with each other.

Basic Pyramid Solitaire Strategy

Strategy in Pyramid solitaire focuses on freeing cards in higher rows. The deeper you clear, the more cards become available. Use these tactics:

Clear the bottom row first. Removing bottom row cards frees row 6, which then frees row 5. Work upward.
Use the stock to break deadlocks. If two cards that would pair are both in the pyramid but one is blocked, draw from the stock to pair with the unblocked card. This may open the blocked card later.
Pair stock cards with each other. This reduces the waste pile and gives you more chances to clear the pyramid.
Remove Kings immediately. A lone King clears space at any time. Do not hold it.

Winning and Scoring

Win Pyramid solitaire by removing all 28 cards from the pyramid and all 24 cards from the stock. If no pairs remain and the stock is exhausted, the game ends with cards remaining. There is no standard scoring system. Some versions count cards removed or time taken.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Removing a card too early. A card removed now may have been the only match for a stock card later. Check all available pairs before acting.

Forgetting about the stock. Draw from the stock at any time, not only when the pyramid is stuck. Use it to create new pair opportunities.

Ignoring the waste pile. Cards set aside from the stock remain playable. Check the waste pile for pairs with pyramid cards or other waste cards on every turn.

Variations in Rules

The most common variation is the number of passes allowed through the stock. Some versions allow one pass. Others allow unlimited passes. Another variation deals with the waste pile. In some versions, waste cards pair only with pyramid cards, not with each other. Check the rules of the specific game before you start. At free-solitaire.co, the Pyramid solitaire version follows the standard rules described above.