- Player Count: 1
- Materials: Deck of cards without jokers
- Objective: Clear pairs of free cards from the pyramid that equal 13. Win the game if you’re able to remove all the cards from the pyramid as well as the leftover pile.
Setting Up Pyramid Solitaire
Deal 28 cards face-up into an overlapping pyramid shape. Remove the jokers from a deck of cards and shuffle them so they’re thoroughly mixed. Deal a single card face-up for the "top" of the pyramid. Then, start a new row with 2 cards side-by-side so they both overlap the bottom half of the first and look like a triangle. Continue adding rows so they overlap the previous row and have 1 additional card until you have 7 rows and 28 cards total. If you want an easier game, only deal out 21 cards in 6 rows instead.
Flip over the top card on the remaining stack to start the game. Set the remaining stack of 24 cards face-down where you can reach them to form your stock pile. When you’re ready to start playing, reveal the top card and set it on top of the stock. This card is available to use until you draw a new card from the stock later in the game.
Playing Pyramid Solitaire
Remove pairs of cards from the pyramid that add up to 13. Cards are only considered free when no other card overlaps them, so the bottom row of 7 are the only free ones at the start of the game. If you see 2 free cards that have a total value of 13, take them off the board and set them aside face-up in a discard pile. Jacks have a value of 11, Queens are 12, and Kings are 13. Kings are the only cards that don’t need to be paired, so remove them from the board as soon as they’re free. The legal pairs you’re able to make in a game of pyramid are Queen/Ace, Jack/2, 10/3, 9/4, 8/5, and 6/7. Besides the Kings, cards can only be removed in pairs. If there were an Ace, 2, and 10 free, you could not remove all 3 cards even though they total 13. If you have 2 identical cards free in different rows, use the bottom-most card first when making a pair to help free up more cards. If you have two cards one next to each other on the same line, work left to right.
Move the top stock card to a waste pile to access new cards. If you want to access the next card in the stock, set the top card into the waste pile face-up. Then, flip over the next card in the stock to see what’s available. You may take the top card of the stock and put it on top of the waste pile at any point in the game, but keep in mind only the top card of the stack is considered available. Sometimes, the waste pile is also known as the “talon.”
Pair stock or waste cards with ones in the pyramid to clear them. If you can’t make any pairs using only the cards in the pyramid, check if the top card of the stock or waste can pair with another free card. If you can, take the card off the stack and the other out from the pyramid and place them into the discard pile. As you cycle through your stock pile, cards will become available and you may have more opportunities to match cards you couldn’t beforehand. Look for pairs of cards in the pyramid first without using cards from the stock pile. Once you run out of matches, then start cycling through the stock and waste.
Flip the waste pile over to form the stock if you run out of cards. If you move all the cards from your stock pile into the waste pile, then just flip the stack over so they’re face-down again. Reveal the top card and cycle through the deck again to see if you’re able to make any pairs on the pyramid. You may only do this 3 times during the game. If you must do it a fourth time, then you lose.
Winning Pyramid Solitaire
Win if you clear all the cards from the pyramid, stock, and waste. Continue playing the game making pairs of cards and removing them from the pyramid to free other cards below them. If you’re able to pair off all of the cards and you have nothing remaining in your stock or waste piles, then you win the game! Some games of pyramid solitaire are unwinnable if cards are trapped or blocked somewhere in the pyramid. For example, if the top of your pyramid is an ace and all of the queens are showing in lower rows, then the game cannot be won because you won’t be able to pair one of the queens with the top ace.
Pyramid Solitaire Variations
Play with a face-up reserve of cards to make pairing easier. After you finish dealing the pyramid, place an extra row of 6 face-up cards in front of you. These cards are always free and may be played at any time throughout the game. Once you use a card from the reserve, place it in the discard pile like normal. Using a reserve row is a good tactic if you have trouble winning the game otherwise. Keep in mind that your reserve row doesn’t get refilled, so use the cards wisely when you’re stuck.
Limit yourself to a single cycle through the stock pile. Rather than going through the stock pile 3 times before losing, challenge yourself by only allowing yourself to go through it once. That way, the only way to go back through your waste is to pair off the top card. Be more mindful of the cards that are available in your stock and waste, and use them wisely so you don’t get stuck. Playing with 1 cycle through the stock pile may result in more unwinnable hands.
Keep the stock face-down and add 3 cards to the waste pile at a time. Rather than flipping over the top card of the stock pile, leave it face-down at the start of the game. When you want to use cards from your stock, take the top 3 cards, and flip them over. Only the top card of the waste pile is available, so the only way to access the cards below it is by pairing it with one on the pyramid. When the stock runs out, flip the waste pile face-down to reform it. Play through 3 cycles of the stock pile. If you aren’t able to clear all the cards out after the 3rd cycle, then you lose the game.
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