How to play Pyramid Solitaire

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How to play Pyramid Solitaire

Pyramid Solitaire is a matching game played with a 28-card pyramid. You clear it by pairing exposed cards that add up to 13, and kings, worth 13 on their own, leave the table alone.

The layout

Twenty-eight cards form a seven-row pyramid, each card half-covered by the two beneath it. The remaining 24 cards become the stock you turn one at a time to the waste pile.

Pairs of thirteen

Aces count 1, jacks 11, queens 12 and kings 13. Match ace with queen, two with jack, three with ten, and so on. A king is removed by itself.

What is playable

A pyramid card can only be matched when nothing covers it. The top of the stock and the top of the waste are both playable too, including against each other.

Passes and winning

You get three passes through the stock, so the waste is recycled twice. Clear the whole pyramid to win; get stuck with cards left and the deal is lost.

Tips from the table

  • Always prefer a match that uncovers two new pyramid cards over one that only frees the waste.
  • Kings are free removals — take them the moment they are exposed.
  • Count how many of a rank you still need before spending its partner from the waste.
  • Not every Pyramid deal is winnable, so restart without guilt when the pyramid locks up.