Play FreeCell for free
FreeCell is a patience game for one player where every card is face up from the start. Luck hardly plays a part: nearly every deal can be won if you think ahead. Here on Kitchen Table Cards you can play it free in your browser with large cards, unlimited Undo, hints and no time pressure. There is nothing to download and you do not need an account.
How to play · Allowed moves · Game numbers · Tips · Questions
How to play FreeCell
All 52 cards are dealt face up into eight columns: four columns of seven cards and four of six. At the top left are four free cells, each of which can hold one card. At the top right are the four foundations, one for each suit.
The goal is to move every card up to the foundations, building each suit in order from Ace up to King. To get at the cards you need, you move cards between the columns and park them in the free cells.
Allowed moves in FreeCell
- Down in alternating colours: in the columns, a card can go on a card one rank higher of the other colour. For example, a red 9 can go on a black 10.
- Free cells: any card at the bottom of a column can be put in an empty free cell, and moved out again later.
- Empty columns: any card, or any run of cards in order, can go into an empty column.
- Foundations: each suit goes up from Ace to King. Cards on the foundations stay there.
- Moving runs: you can move several cards in order at once if there are enough free cells and empty columns to move them one at a time. With two empty free cells you can move three cards. An empty column doubles it.
How to move cards on this site
| Click or tap a card | It moves to the best place: its foundation, then onto another card, then an empty column, then a free cell. Tap a card higher up a column to move it with the cards on top of it. |
|---|---|
| Drag a card | Hold the mouse button (or your finger) on a card and move it where you want it. The cards on top of it come along. The place it will land is outlined in yellow. |
| Putting cards up | Cards that are no longer needed in the columns go up to the foundations by themselves. You can switch this off under Settings. |
| Undo | Takes back your last move. You can undo as many times as you like. |
| Hint | Shows you the next move on a way to win. The card to move and where it goes are outlined in yellow. |
| Pause | Stops the clock and hides the cards until you are ready to carry on. |
| Restart | Deals the same game again from the start. |
FreeCell game numbers
Every deal has a number from 1 to 1,000,000, shown above the table. The numbers match the FreeCell game that came with Windows, so you can replay a deal you know, or play the same game as a friend and compare moves. To choose a game, open Settings and type its number under "Play a game by number".
Game 11982 is famous as the one deal among the first 32,000 that cannot be won. Game 1 is a gentle place to start.
Tips for winning at FreeCell
- Look before you move. Every card is face up, so find the Aces and Twos and work out what is covering them.
- Keep free cells empty. Each empty cell lets you move longer runs. Fill one only when it frees a card you need.
- An empty column is worth a lot. It is worth more than a free cell, because it doubles how many cards you can move at once.
- Build long runs. Cards in order, alternating colours, can be moved together later on.
- Use Undo to explore. Undo has no penalty here, so try a line of play and take it back if it doesn't work out.
FreeCell questions and answers
Is this FreeCell game free?
Yes. FreeCell on Kitchen Table Cards is completely free. There is no download, no sign-up and nothing to buy.
Can every game of FreeCell be won?
Almost. Of the first million numbered deals, only eight cannot be won. The best known is game 11982. Every other deal can be won with careful play, so if you get stuck, use Undo or Restart and try another way. New games here never deal one of the eight.
Are the game numbers the same as in Windows FreeCell?
Yes. The cards are dealt the same way as in the FreeCell game that came with Windows, so game 1 here has the same cards as game 1 there. You can choose any game from 1 to 1,000,000 under Settings, or open a link such as kitchentablecardgames.com/freecell/?game=11982.
How many cards can I move at once in FreeCell?
Officially only one card moves at a time, but you can move a run of cards in order if there are enough free cells and empty columns to move them one by one. With no empty columns, you can move one card more than the number of empty free cells. Each empty column doubles that. The game works this out for you and tells you if a run is too long.
What is the difference between FreeCell and Solitaire?
In Solitaire (Klondike) some cards are face down and you turn cards over from a stock pile, so luck plays a big part. In FreeCell every card is face up from the start and there is no stock. Instead you have four free cells to park cards in, so almost every game can be won by thinking ahead.
What does the Hint button do?
It works out a way to win from where you are and shows you the next move. If there is no way to win any more, it tells you, so you can undo a few moves and try something else.
Does the game save my progress?
Yes. Your current game is saved automatically on your device. If you close the page and come back later, you can carry on where you left off.
Can I play FreeCell on a tablet or phone?
Yes. Tap a card and it moves to the best place, or drag it with your finger. A tablet, or turning your phone sideways, gives you bigger cards.
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