Play Pyramid Solitaire Online for Free (Pyramid Patience)
Pyramid Solitaire is one of the most distinctive card games in the solitaire family. Instead of building columns or foundations, you remove cards in pairs that sum to 13 from an exposed pyramid layout. Kings disappear alone. Every card you uncover brings the next row into reach. Play free, instant, no download needed.
What is Pyramid Solitaire?
Pyramid Solitaire, also called Pyramid Patience, is a matching solitaire played with one standard 52-card deck. Twenty-eight cards are dealt in a seven-row triangle, apex at the top and base of seven cards at the bottom. The remaining 24 cards sit in a face-down stock. You remove exposed cards by pairing any two that add up to 13, or by removing a King (worth 13) alone.
A card is exposed only when both cards overlapping it from the row below have been removed. The bottom row starts fully exposed; the apex becomes reachable only after the six rows beneath it are cleared. This creates a layered puzzle where every removal changes what is possible next.
Pyramid Solitaire history
The precise origins of Pyramid are unclear, but the game appeared in printed card-game collections in the early 20th century and gained broad popularity through computer solitaire bundles in the 1990s. Microsoft included Pyramid as a standard Windows game, introducing it to millions of players. Card historian David Parlett classifies Pyramid as a pairing patience, distinct from both building games like Klondike and positional games like Clock Solitaire. Its triangular deal has since inspired several closely related variants, including Tut's Tomb, Relaxed Pyramid, and Giza Solitaire.
How to Play Pyramid Solitaire
The goal is simple: clear all 28 pyramid cards by pairing exposed cards that sum to exactly 13. Here are the exact steps:
- Deal 28 cards into a seven-row pyramid. Each card in rows 1 through 6 overlaps two cards in the row below it. The bottom row of 7 cards is fully exposed at the start.
- The remaining 24 cards go face-down into the stock pile.
- Tap two exposed pyramid cards that add up to 13 to remove the pair. Valid pairs: A+Q, 2+J, 3+10, 4+9, 5+8, 6+7.
- Tap a King (value 13) alone to remove it without needing a partner.
- Tap the stock to draw one card to the waste pile. You may pair the waste top card with any exposed pyramid card.
- When the stock is exhausted and no valid pairs exist, the game is lost.
- Win by removing all 28 pyramid cards. The stock does not need to be empty to win.
Strategies to win Pyramid Solitaire
Pyramid Solitaire has a relatively low win rate, so every decision matters. The most effective strategies are:
- Expose higher rows first. Clearing the lower rows opens access to cards that may be blocking key pairs above. Never remove a card unless you know what it uncovers.
- Delay stock draws. Draw from the stock only after exhausting all pyramid-only pairs. Waste cards cannot go back, so use them sparingly.
- Track complementary pairs by rank. If three Aces are already removed and no Queens remain, the last Ace+Queen pair is impossible. Knowing this early prevents a deadlock.
- Save Kings for last. Because Kings remove alone, they do not consume a partner. When two cards of complementary rank are available, use the pair first and leave the King for when it is the only card blocking the row above.
- Watch the apex. The single top card can only be reached after all 27 cards beneath it are removed. If the apex card cannot be matched (no complement remains), the game is already lost. Identify the apex rank early.
Pyramid Solitaire rules and objective
The sole objective is to remove all 28 cards from the pyramid. Cards are removed in pairs summing to 13, or Kings alone. You may only remove a card if it is "exposed," meaning no other card in the pyramid is overlapping it from the row below. The waste pile top is always exposed and may form pairs with pyramid cards. The stock is drawn one card at a time, and in standard Pyramid there are no redeals.
Game setup
Shuffle a 52-card deck. Deal one card to row 1 (the apex), two to row 2, three to row 3, and so on through row 7 (seven cards, the base). Each card overlaps two cards in the row below, forming the triangular shape. The remaining 24 cards form the face-down stock.
Pyramid Solitaire variants
Standard Pyramid is challenging enough to keep most players engaged, but the game family extends further with several popular variants:
| Variant | Key difference | Win rate |
|---|---|---|
| Relaxed Pyramid | A card only needs one blocker removed, not both | ~28% |
| Tut's Tomb | Unlimited redeals through the waste pile | ~55% |
| Apophis | Three separate waste piles instead of one | ~30% |
| Giza | No stock; remaining cards deal to an 8-column grid | ~20% |
| Triangle | Inverted pyramid (7 cards at top, apex at bottom) | ~12% |
| Pharaoh | 7-card reserve row always available below the pyramid | ~25% |
| Pyramid Turn 3 | Draw 3 cards at once; 2 redeals allowed | ~20% |
How difficult is Pyramid Solitaire?
Pyramid Solitaire is considerably harder than it looks. The triangular layout constrains which pairs you can access at any moment, and a single wrong decision early in the game can make the final rows impossible to clear. Skilled play reduces the impact of bad luck but cannot eliminate it entirely.
What is Pyramid Solitaire's win percentage?
Standard Pyramid Solitaire (draw 1, no redeals) has a win rate of approximately 5 to 8 percent under optimal play. The majority of deals are unwinnable regardless of strategy, because the initial shuffle determines whether the complementary pairs are accessible. If the apex card's complement is buried beneath it, the game is mathematically unwinnable from the first move. Playing with redeals (as in Tut's Tomb) raises the win rate to around 55 percent.
What is the difference between Pyramid Solitaire and Relaxed Pyramid?
In standard Pyramid, a card is playable only when both cards overlapping it from the row below have been removed. In Relaxed Pyramid, a card is playable as soon as at least one of the two blockers has been removed. This single rule change dramatically expands the number of available moves at any given moment and raises the win rate from around 5-8% to roughly 28%. Relaxed Pyramid also typically allows one redeal, making it a much friendlier introduction to the pairing mechanics.
If you are new to the Pyramid family, start with Relaxed Pyramid to understand how removal chains work before moving to the strict standard rules.
Pyramid Solitaire FAQ
Can you pair the waste top card with another waste card?
No. In standard Pyramid Solitaire, the waste top card may only pair with exposed pyramid cards. It cannot pair with the card beneath it in the waste pile. The waste pile is one-directional; you move forward through the stock and cannot replay discarded cards unless a redeal rule is active.
Does the stock need to be empty to win Pyramid Solitaire?
No. You win as soon as all 28 pyramid cards have been removed, regardless of how many stock or waste cards remain. If you clear the pyramid before exhausting the stock, the game ends immediately in a win.
Why can't I tap the card directly behind another card in the pyramid?
A pyramid card is "blocked" if either of the two cards overlapping it from the row below is still in play. Both blockers must be removed before you can interact with the card above. This is the core constraint that makes Pyramid Solitaire a genuine puzzle rather than a simple matching game.
Is Pyramid Solitaire the same as Egyptian Pyramid Solitaire?
Egyptian Pyramid is a marketing name used by some apps for the same game, often with cosmetic theming. The core rules (pair-to-13, Kings alone, bottom-row always exposed) are identical. Some versions labeled "Egyptian" add redeals or a reserve row, which corresponds to Tut's Tomb or Pharaoh variants.
What is the best opening move in Pyramid Solitaire?
There is no universally optimal first move, but a useful heuristic is to identify the apex card rank first, then check whether its complement exists in the visible bottom row. If the complement is already buried, you may need to exhaust specific bottom-row cards in a precise order to uncover it. Remove Kings from the bottom row first when they are blocking pairs you need, but save them if the row above is already accessible.