Players use groups of 13 cards, composed of face cards such as Jacks, Queens, and Kings, to form combinations equaling 13. The game ends when all 13 face cards have been cleared from the pyramid, or the stockpile has been depleted. The best guide to finding Free Online Games.
Available cards include those at the top of the pyramid, from the last card, turned from the stockpile, and any exposed kings. Any remaining cards are placed into a waste pile if they cannot be used.
Gameplay
Pyramid Solitaire uses a standard 52-card deck, and players remove cards from the pyramid by matching them up with other exposed cards – usually, Aces are at a low value while Kings rank high – until all 13 pairs add up to 13; at this point, only their top cards may be taken out from play.
Cards are dealt face up in a pyramid with seven rows, and those not placed there form part of a stockpile at the bottom left corner. When pairs form, they may go to the foundation or waste pile.
Remember that not all pairs can be formed, and some cards cannot be removed because they touch existing cards in the pyramid. Furthermore, it would be wise to take steps as soon as possible to eliminate exposed kings – which total 13 and make pairing more challenging later in the game.
Rules
After shuffling the cards, arrange 28 overlapping cards into a pyramid shape. The top card should be King, while all other exposed cards may be used to match pairs whose total sum is 13 (either directly from the pyramid or via draw pile or stock). Pairs that add up to 13 can then be removed from this pyramid and sent directly to Waste; any others that add up to 13 should be discarded as soon as no more matches that add up to 13 are found.
When matching cards, do it from left to right to avoid blocking a path toward victory. Also, permanently remove exposed Kings from your pyramid – one King is worth 13 points, so it’s best to remove them promptly from play.
Not only should you play left to right, but it’s also essential that your play be as evenly spread as possible. Doing this increases your odds of eliminating seven rows on one side of the pyramid to win and reduces how often undo is used; each time counts as a new move and could impede your advancement.
Variations
Pyramid solitaire can be played in several ways. One method involves pairing cards that add up to 13 and discarding them, while another entails moving cards from the stockpile into a waste pile, giving more opportunities for pairing. By taking this route, players gain more information about their hands and increase their odds of victory.
Knowing the values of cards is essential for making accurate discard combinations. For example, aces are worth one point, Jacks 11 points, Queens 12, and Kings 13. Cards may be sent directly or as pairs to the foundation; any exposed kings should also be removed as soon as possible, as this will open more cards up for play while decreasing blocks in your pyramid and help eliminate pairs that won’t lead to success – helping avoid making any costly errors that cost time or points!
Scoring
Aim: to clear the pyramid and win. To do this, remove all pairs of cards adding up to 13 and discard them; this forms part of your waste pile for use later in the game; Kings are worth 13, Queens 12, Jacks 11 respectively, and Aces may also be removed if they rest upon two King cards.
After shuffling the deck, deal one face-up card at the top of the table and two face-down cards beneath it. Continue this pattern until 28 cards have been distributed into seven overlapping rows; any leftover deck can then be kept face down as a stockpile.
Keep an eye out for any free cards that could be added to the pyramid, such as 10&3 or 6&7, that can be extracted quickly and added back into the stockpile to help dismantle it. Matching these free cards with cards from the store could also help break it down faster.
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