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Pyramid Solitaire is a fast-paced Solitaire game where you clear the board by pairing cards that add up to 13. It’s great arithmetic practice or a way to pass a few minutes.

Pyramid Solitaire Objective

Win Pyramid Solitaire by removing all 28 cards from the pyramid, pairing cards whose values add up to 13.

Each game starts with 28 cards dealt face up into a pyramid of seven rows, from one card at the peak to seven cards in the bottom row. Each row overlaps the one above it, so most cards start out partially covered. The remaining 24 cards make up the stockpile.

Pyramid Solitaire Card Pairings

Numbered cards are worth their face value. Aces are worth 1, Jacks 11, Queens 12, and Kings 13. These are the pairs that add up to 13:

Pyramid Solitaire Rules

The rules of Pyramid Solitaire are simple, but because every card in the pyramid is covered by the cards below it, the order you remove pairs decides whether you can clear the board.

• Pair two uncovered cards that add up to 13. A card is uncovered once any card overlapping it is gone. At the start, only the seven cards in the bottom row are open.
• Remove Kings by themselves. A King is worth 13 on its own, so you can clear it as soon as it’s uncovered.
• Flip cards from the stockpile to the waste pile when you get stuck. The top card of the waste pile can be paired with any uncovered card in the pyramid.

Stockpile Use

When you run out of pairs in the pyramid, the stockpile is your backup. By default, you can go through the stockpile three times in total. Once you’ve used your last pass, any cards left in the pyramid stay there and the game is over.

Pyramid is the only game on SolitaireStreak where you can choose how many passes you get. Set it in Options > Settings > Game Options:

• One: A single pass through the stockpile, for the toughest game.
• Three: The default, which gives you a couple of chances to find the match you need.
• Unlimited: Cycle through the stockpile as many times as you like for a more relaxed game.

You win once every card in the pyramid is cleared. If you’ve used all your passes and no pairs are left, the game is over. Replay the deal with Restart to try a different order of pairs, or try a new deal with New Game.

Click-to-move is on by default, so you can pair cards by clicking them instead of dragging one onto the other. You can turn it off in Options > Settings > Game Options.

Pyramid has a lot in common with TriPeaks Solitaire, which also uses a pyramid-style layout, but in TriPeaks you play cards one rank higher or lower instead of pairing them to 13.

Tips and Strategies to Win Pyramid Solitaire

In Pyramid Solitaire, the order of your pairs matters more than anything else. Use these tips to clear more of the board and win more games.

• Clear Kings right away. Kings don’t need a partner, so removing them as soon as they’re uncovered opens up the cards above them for free.
• Pair cards inside the pyramid before using the waste pile. Every pyramid pair uncovers new cards, while a waste pile card only clears one. Save the waste pile for cards you can’t match any other way.
• Choose the pair that uncovers the most cards. If two different cards could match the same card, pick the one that frees a card above it or opens up another pair.
• Keep track of what’s left. Each value appears four times in the deck. If you need an 8 to free a 5 and three 8s are already gone, plan your next moves around that last one.
• Work on both sides of the pyramid. Clearing rows evenly keeps cards near the peak from getting stuck under one side late in the game.
• Don’t rush through the stockpile. Your passes are limited, so look for every possible pair before flipping to the next card.
• Recognize when a game can’t be won. A card can never be paired with a card that’s covering it, so if all four of a card’s matches sit on top of it in the pyramid, there’s no path to move it to the foundation pile. The same goes for your last pass through the stockpile: if none of the remaining cards can pair with an uncovered card, start a new game instead of playing it out.