How to Play Pyramid Solitaire
Pyramid Solitaire is one of the most engaging and strategic solitaire variations. Your objective is simple: clear the entire pyramid by pairing cards that mathematically add up to exactly 13.
The Rules
The game uses a standard 52-card deck. 28 cards are dealt face-up in a pyramid shape, consisting of 7 rows. The remaining 24 cards form the draw pile (stock).
- The Goal: Remove all 28 cards from the pyramid.
- Card Values: Numerical cards are worth their face value. Aces = 1, Jacks = 11, Queens = 12, Kings = 13.
- Matching: You can only remove cards that are fully "exposed" (no cards overlapping them from the row below). You remove them by matching pairs whose values add up to exactly 13. E.g. an 8 and a 5, or a Queen(12) and an Ace(1).
- Kings: Because a King equals 13 by itself, it can be removed individually with a single click.
- The Stock: If no valid pairs are exposed in the pyramid, you must draw a card from the stock. You can pair the top card of the waste pile with any exposed card in the pyramid.
Scoring System
Pyramid Solitaire Pro rewards speed and efficiency. The scoring breaks down as follows:
- Base Match: Each successful pairing provides base points.
- Combo Multipliers: If you make consecutive matches without drawing from the stock pile, your combo multiplier increases (x2, x3, etc.), yielding massive points.
- Time Bonus: Finishing the game quickly will award you a significant time bonus added to your final score.
Expert Strategies
1. Eliminate Kings Immediately
Kings hold zero strategic value since they don't pair with anything. Getting them out of the way immediately opens up the cards beneath them.
2. Plan Your Combos
Instead of immediately matching an exposed pair, pause and look ahead. Does making that match expose another match? Stringing together 3 or 4 matches without drawing highly boosts your score.
3. Prefer Pyramid Matches
If you have the choice between matching a Pyramid card with the Waste Pile versus matching two Pyramid cards together, always match within the Pyramid. The deeper you dig into the structure, the more options you unlock.