Clear a triangle of 28 cards by matching pairs that total 13, with Kings leaving on their own.
Pyramid Solitaire is a card game that runs on simple sums. Twenty-eight cards are laid face up in a triangle seven rows tall, and you remove them two at a time by finding pairs that total 13. A King is worth 13 by itself, so it can be cleared without a partner.
Every card has a simple monochrome design, and there is no clock ticking while you think. It is a calm, single-player game that rewards a bit of planning.
Card values
An Ace counts as 1 and number cards count as their face value. A Jack is worth 11, a Queen 12 and a King 13. So the matches are Ace and Queen, 2 and Jack, 3 and 10, and so on down to 6 and 7.
How a game works
Every card in the pyramid is visible, but you can only use a card once both cards overlapping it from the row below have been removed. Blocked cards appear dimmed, so the playable ones are easy to spot. At the start, only the bottom row is free.
Choose two free cards in a row. When their values total 13, the pair leaves the table. The 24 cards not in the pyramid form the stock. Tap it to flip one card onto the waste pile. Only the top waste card is in play, and it can be paired with any open pyramid card or removed alone if it is a King.
Once the stock is empty, tapping it again flips the whole waste pile over so you can draw through it again. You get two of these redeals, and a counter shows how many remain.
The win condition
You win the moment all 28 pyramid cards are gone. Cards left in the stock or waste do not matter. You are out of luck when the stock is spent, both redeals are used and nothing open can be paired or cleared as a King.
Strategy notes
- Favor pairs that uncover new cards higher up. A move that frees nothing is usually a weaker choice.
- Watch for a card sitting directly on top of its own partner, such as a 6 resting on a 7. Those two can never pair with each other, so find another match first.
- Use up the matches already available in the triangle before drawing. With only two redeals, wasted draws hurt.
- Remember which values remain hidden. A triangle card whose partners are all gone from the pyramid can only be matched with a card from the stock.
- Undo has no limit, so try a risky line and back out if it fails.
Settings let you change text size, card spacing and turn on high contrast.
Controls
| Action | Keyboard | Mouse | Touch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pick a card for a pair | Tab to the card (arrow keys move around the pyramid), then Enter | Click an uncovered card, then click its partner | Tap an uncovered card, then tap its partner |
| Remove a King | Tab to the King, then Enter | Click the King | Tap the King |
| Draw from the stock or redeal the waste | — | Click the stock pile | Tap the stock pile |
| Take back a move | — | Click "Undo" | Tap "Undo" |
| Deal a new game | — | Click "New game" (open "Menu" if it is hidden) | Tap "New game" (open "Menu" if it is hidden) |
Pyramid Solitaire FAQ
Can I play Pyramid Solitaire on a phone or Chromebook?
Yes. You can click, tap or use the keyboard. On a Chromebook, Tab moves you to a card, the arrow keys step around the pyramid and Enter selects. Phones and tablets work with simple taps, and the layout fits either orientation.
Does the game remember where I left off?
Yes. The deal you are playing is stored in your browser and comes back after a reload, so you can close the tab and pick up the same game later. Starting a new deal replaces it.
How long does one game take?
Usually just a few minutes. There are only 28 pyramid cards, the stock holds 24 more, and you get three passes through the stock in total. There is no timer, so you can think through each pair as long as you need.
What should I do when no pair seems possible?
Draw from the stock to bring a new card into play on the waste pile. If the stock is empty and you still have a redeal left, tap it to turn the waste back over. You can also use Undo to back up and try a different order of pairs.
