FreeCell Solitaire Online - Play for Free (2024)

Introduction to Freecell

Classic FreeCell is played with one 52-card deck of standard playing cards. It's a modification of the solitaire game called Baker's Game. The only real difference is that in FreeCell, they are built by alternate (red and black) colors, while in Baker's Game cards are built by suit.

Almost all FreeCell games are winnable. A rare example of a deal that is considered to be unsolvable is deal number 11982 from Windows 95's version of FreeCell. You can play this deal from the top menu (choose "Numbered Games").

Both ranks and suits of cards are important in FreeCell. From low to high, card ranks run in order from Ace, to Two, to Three, and so on up to Ten, Jack, Queen, and finally King.

History

Paul Alfille is credited with the invention of FreeCell. Working at the University of Illinois, he programmed the first computerized version of the game in 1978. Originally, the game had several different variants. The most popular version played today is the Classic version.

Goal

The goal of FreeCell is to build up all 4 of the suits in the foundation, each in order from Ace to King.

How to Play Freecell

When the game starts, all 52 cards are dealt face-up into the 8 columns in the tableau. In the first 4 columns, piles of 7 cards are dealt, and in the remaining 4 columns, piles of 6 cards are dealt.

A card may be moved by the player back and forth between the tableau and the free cell area. Any single card may be moved to an empty free cell.

When moving a card from a free cell to the tableau, it can only be placed either into a vacant column or onto the lowermost card in a pile that is next-in-rank and of the opposite (red or black) color. For example, the Four of Spades might be moved from a free cell onto either the Five of Hearts or the Five of Diamonds at the bottom of a pile. Note that since the King possesses the highest rank, it cannot be moved from a free cell onto a pile.

A card may also be moved either from a free cell or the bottom of a pile to the foundation, providing that it is an Ace, which begins a suit build, or the next in rank for a suit, which extends a build. It's also possible to move a card from the foundation to a free cell or the tableau.

An ordered sequence consists of consecutive cards in a pile that are both in-rank and with alternating colors, with the lowest rank being at the bottom. For example, from the bottom up, the Two of Diamonds, the Three of Clubs, and the Four of Hearts constitutes a 3-card ordered sequence.

The player moves one card at a time. However, provided that a sufficient number of combined free cells and tableau columns are empty, an ordered sequence of more than 1 card may be moved all at once from one pile either onto another pile or into an empty column. This counts as only 1 move.

Freecell Strategy

Here are seven gameplay tips on how to win at Freecell:

  • Study the layout of the cards in the tableau very carefully before making any move. Look for a strategy that you believe might lead to a victory. At any point during a game, making a quick and obvious move without first exploring the consequences is usually not the best strategy.
  • Since Aces must go first into the foundation, they should be given a very high priority of uncovering. Then Twos, Threes, and so on.
  • Because using up free cells limits mobility, care should be taken when moving a card into a free cell. Remember that a King moved into a free cell can only be moved into the tableau if there exists a vacant column. This is not to suggest that a King should never be moved into a free cell.
  • Since an empty column is much more useful than a free cell because it can hold more than one card, vacating the pile of cards in as many columns as possible should be given a high priority. An empty column can be very useful for moving ordered sequences between piles.
  • When an empty column is to be filled with a card, the best card to fill it with is a King. This is because the King is highest in rank, and the only card that cannot be placed onto another card. However, be aware that it's not always possible or advantageous to place a King into a vacant column.
  • Moving an Ace or a Two into the foundation is never a mistake.
  • As much as possible, build up ordered sequences in the tableau. Remember that order sequences can often be moved all at once or one move at a time.

Layout

The game screen is made up of 3 different areas.

In the upper-left is the free cell area made up of 4 free cells. Each cell is a holding area for one card only.

In the upper-right is the foundation. It consists of 4 cells. This is where suits are built, beginning with the Ace and ending with the King.

In the center is the tableau. It consists of 8 columns, each of which may be either empty or contain a pile of one or more cards, depending on the current state of the game.

FreeCell Solitaire Online - Play for Free (2024)

FAQs

Is there a free version of FreeCell Solitaire? ›

Play FreeCell Online for Free. Start playing unlimited games of FreeCell Solitaire. No download or registration is needed. Play in full-screen mode or on your phone.

Can I play FreeCell on my phone? ›

Play FreeCell Solitaire for free on your phone. FreeCell Solitaire is one of the most popular Solitaire card games. Solitaire games require skill, strategy and patience to win. FreeCell has goal progressions and updated scoring, including your personal best score!

Can you play FreeCell offline? ›

FreeCell is one of the most popular kinds of Solitaire card games. FreeCell Offline is completely playable without the internet.

What is the winning deal in FreeCell? ›

Winning Deal: A Winning Deal is guaranteed to have at least one winning solution, and if you have trouble finding the solution it can be shown to you by using Show Me How To Win. When a Winning Deal is dealt, a gold star will appear on the toolbar.

How do I get the old version of FreeCell? ›

If you need a rollback of FreeCell Solitaire, check out the app's version history on Uptodown. It includes all the file versions available to download off Uptodown for that app. Download rollbacks of FreeCell Solitaire for Android.

What is the most popular free solitaire game? ›

Classic Solitaire, also known as klondike solitaire, is arguably the most popular form of solitaire today. Moreover, it's the version you can find on nearly every Microsoft computer since 1990, further cementing its place in modern culture.

What is the best free FreeCell game for Android? ›

FreeCell Solitaire by Brainium is the #1 FreeCell Solitaire game on Android and Google Play, now available for free! If you love free Solitaire card games, you're going to love FreeCell Solitaire by Brainium even more! A truly enjoyable, satisfying and fun solitary card game experience.

Is Solitaire free on my phone? ›

The game was first known, and is still called "Patience," reflecting the patience needed to win a game. On Solitaired, you can play unlimited online Solitaire games for free on your phone, desktop, or in full screen.

Is there a solution to every FreeCell game? ›

The game is won after all cards are moved to their foundation piles. It is estimated that 99.999% of possible deals are solvable. Deal number 11982 from the Windows version of FreeCell is an example of an unsolvable FreeCell deal, the only deal among the original "Microsoft 32,000" which is unsolvable.

How do I install FreeCell Solitaire? ›

On the Microsoft Solitaire Collection page in Microsoft Store, select Get. The game will download and install automatically. To launch the game, select Play.

How much does FreeCell cost? ›

You can subscribe to FreeCell Solitaire for a term of one month, three months or for one year. New subscribers can choose a one-week trial subscription at no cost. The monthly term costs US$1.99.

Is there a trick to playing FreeCell? ›

Freeing up aces early in the game allows you to begin building your home cells or foundation piles, the key to an empty tableau and winning the game. Foundation piles build their sequence of cards from ace to king, so unveiling and playing aces, as early as possible, will help you win.

What is a good average time for FreeCell? ›

Updated:
Single-PlayerPolledAverage
Main Story31h 52m
Completionist26h
All PlayStyles53h 31m

Is FreeCell Solitaire good for your brain? ›

Freecell Solitaire games are a fun challenge and a great way to pass the time. But did you know that they also offer a whole host of brain-boosting benefits? Solitaire and other games offer a fun way to train your brain, benefiting cognition, memory, attention, and more.

What is the most difficult game number in FreeCell? ›

Reportedly, only game 11982 is unsolvable. The rest are solvable. Some deals are more difficult than others, but if you try hard enough you can win (except for game number 11982). People with good convergent or problem solving skills may find FreeCell too easy and not much fun.

How can I download a FreeCell? ›

On the Microsoft Solitaire Collection page in Microsoft Store, select Get. The game will download and install automatically. To launch the game, select Play.

How do I download FreeCell without ads? ›

To purchase the ad-free version of FreeCell, you will need to download the FreeCell+ app from the Google Play Store. IMPORTANT: FreeCell+ is a separate app.

Where can I download Solitaire for free? ›

Simple Solitaire - Free download and play on Windows | Microsoft Store.

What's the difference between FreeCell and Solitaire? ›

FreeCell is a solitaire card game played using the standard 52-card deck. It is fundamentally different from most solitaire games in that very few deals are unsolvable, and all cards are dealt face-up from the beginning of the game.

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