♠What is FreeCell?
FreeCell is a card game you play by yourself. It uses one regular deck of 52 cards. You might know it from Windows computers — it came installed on millions of PCs starting in the 1990s.
Here is what makes FreeCell special: every card is visible from the start. There are no hidden cards. There is no draw pile. You can see everything before you make your first move.
This means FreeCell is a game of pure skill. When you win, it is because you played well. When you lose, you can figure out what went wrong. There is no bad luck to blame.
Almost every FreeCell deal can be solved. Out of 32,000 tested games, only one is impossible. So if you lose, the solution was there — you just need to find a different path next time.
Quick Facts
♥The Layout
When you start a FreeCell game, you will see three areas on the screen. Let us look at each one.
1. The Columns (Center of the Screen)
This is the main playing area. There are 8 columns of cards spread across the screen. All 52 cards are here, dealt face-up so you can see every one. Four columns have 7 cards. Four columns have 6 cards. The cards overlap slightly so you can see all of them in each column.
2. Free Cells (Top-Left Corner)
Four empty spaces in the top-left. These are your temporary storage. Think of them like a small shelf where you can set aside a card while you rearrange others. Each free cell holds exactly one card. These spaces give the game its name.
3. Foundations (Top-Right Corner)
Four empty spaces in the top-right. This is where you want to put all your cards. Each foundation holds one suit (Spades, Hearts, Diamonds, Clubs). You build each foundation starting from Ace and going up: A, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, Jack, Queen, King. When all four foundations are complete, you win.
That is it. Three areas: columns in the middle, free cells top-left, foundations top-right. Simple.
♦Your Goal
Your goal is simple: move all 52 cards to the four foundation piles.
Each foundation holds one suit. Build each one from Ace up to King. The Ace of Spades goes first on the Spades foundation. Then the 2 of Spades on top of it. Then the 3. And so on, all the way to the King of Spades.
Do the same for Hearts, Diamonds, and Clubs. When all four suits are stacked from Ace to King on the foundations, you win the game.
Most digital versions will auto-complete the game for you once every remaining card is already in the right order. You will see the cards fly to the foundations automatically. That is the most satisfying part.
♣Basic Moves
There are only a few types of moves in FreeCell. Here they are:
Move a card between columns
You can place a card on top of another card in a column if: (a) it is one rank lower, and (b) it is the opposite color. For example, a red 5 can go on a black 6. A black Jack can go on a red Queen. Think: alternating colors, counting down.
Move a card to a free cell
Any card can go into an empty free cell. But each cell only holds one card. This is your temporary storage — use it when you need to get a card out of the way to reach something behind it.
Move a card to a foundation
When you have the next card in sequence for a foundation, move it there. Aces go first. Then 2s. Then 3s. Each foundation is one suit only. Once a card is on a foundation, you are done with it — it stays there forever.
Move a card to an empty column
If you clear out an entire column, that empty space can hold any card. Empty columns are very useful. They work like super-powered free cells because you can place any card there, not just one.
The Color Rule Made Simple
Cards come in two colors. Remembering which suits are which helps:
Spades (♠) and Clubs (♣)
Hearts (♥) and Diamonds (♦)
When stacking in columns, always alternate: black on red, red on black.
♠Your First Game
Here is exactly what to do when you start your first game of FreeCell. Follow these steps and you will have a great chance of winning.
Look before you move
Do not touch anything for 30 seconds. Just look at the board. Find all four Aces. Where are they? Are any on top of columns (easy to grab) or buried under many cards (will take work to reach)?
Grab any free Aces
If any Ace is sitting on top of a column, move it to a foundation right away. Do the same with any 2s if the matching Ace is already on a foundation. There is never a reason to leave an Ace in the columns.
Start organizing
Look for cards you can stack in order. If you see a black 6 on top of one column and a red 5 on top of another, move the 5 onto the 6. Building these sequences helps you uncover the cards underneath.
Work toward buried Aces
Your main job is getting those buried Aces out. Move the cards sitting on top of them to other columns or to free cells. Every move should be getting you closer to freeing an Ace.
Use free cells carefully
If you need to move a card but there is nowhere good in the columns, use a free cell. But be careful — try not to fill all four. Keeping free cells open gives you more room to maneuver later.
Try to empty a column
If you can clear all the cards from one column, do it. An empty column is like having an extra free cell that can hold a whole stack of cards. This makes everything else easier.
Keep building foundations
As you organize the columns, cards will become available for the foundations. Move them up whenever you can. The game gets easier as the foundations grow because there are fewer cards in the way.
Remember: You can undo any move. If something does not work out, just undo it and try a different approach. Undo is your best friend when learning FreeCell.
♥Common Mistakes Beginners Make
Everyone makes these mistakes at first. Knowing about them in advance gives you a head start.
Filling all four free cells early
This is the number one beginner mistake. When all four free cells are full, you have almost no room to move cards around. The game becomes nearly impossible. Always keep at least one free cell empty. Two is better.
Moving cards without a plan
It is tempting to make any move that looks legal. But random moves usually make things worse. Before moving a card, ask yourself: "What does this accomplish? What card does this uncover?" Every move should have a purpose.
Ignoring the Aces
Everything starts with the Aces. If you do not know where all four Aces are and how you plan to reach them, you are playing without a goal. Find the Aces first. Plan around them.
Putting Kings in free cells
Kings cannot be placed on any other card — they can only go in empty columns or stay where they are. Putting a King in a free cell wastes the cell because the King has nowhere useful to go afterward. If you need to move a King, wait for an empty column.
Giving up too soon
Many deals look impossible at first glance but have solutions. If you are stuck, use undo to go back several moves and try a completely different approach. The game that seems hopeless with one strategy might be easy with another.
♦Next Steps
You now know everything you need to play your first game of FreeCell. Here is how to keep improving:
Play 10 games. Just play. Do not worry about winning every one. Get comfortable with the interface, the card movements, and the rhythm of the game. You will naturally start seeing patterns.
Read our 25 Tips & Tricks. Once you have a few games under your belt, these tips will make much more sense. Pick 2-3 tips and focus on them for your next few games.
Practice on easier deals first. If you want a smoother learning curve, read Easy FreeCell Games so you know what a forgiving board looks like before you jump into harder positions.
Learn the complete rules. Our detailed rules page covers advanced mechanics like supermoves that become important as you improve.
Understand why the game is so solvable. Our winnability guide explains why most FreeCell losses are decision problems, not bad luck.
Study the strategy guide. When you are ready for deeper strategy, this guide takes you from beginner to expert with detailed explanations of every concept.
Check the glossary. If you encounter any unfamiliar terms while reading about FreeCell, our glossary defines every card game term you might need.
Ready for Your First Game?
You know the rules. You know what to do. Now it is time to play. Remember: use undo often, keep free cells empty, and have fun.