What Is Pyramid Solitaire? A Complete Guide

Pyramid Solitaire is a charming card-matching game where you pair cards that add up to 13 to clear a beautiful pyramid arrangement. It feels quite different from other solitaire games and offers a wonderfully relaxing experience that is easy to learn and endlessly enjoyable.

What Is Pyramid Solitaire?

Pyramid Solitaire is a single-player card game where 28 cards are arranged in a pyramid shape with seven rows. The bottom row has seven cards, the row above has six, and so on up to the top of the pyramid, which has a single card. Your goal is to remove all the cards from the pyramid by pairing two cards whose values add up to 13.

What makes Pyramid Solitaire so appealing is its simplicity and visual charm. There are no complex sequences to build, no alternating colors to track, and no elaborate rules to remember. You simply find two cards that add up to 13, tap them both, and they disappear. It is one of the most intuitive solitaire games ever created, making it a wonderful choice for players who want a gentle, calming card game.

The game is sometimes called "Solitaire 13" or "Pile of 28," and it has been a popular pastime since at least the early 1900s. Its combination of simple rules and satisfying visual presentation has made it a favorite among people who enjoy a quiet card game with their morning coffee or evening tea.

How to Play: Complete Rules

Setting Up

Using a standard 52-card deck, deal 28 cards face up in a pyramid formation. Start with one card at the top, then two cards in the next row (slightly overlapping the first), then three cards, and continue until you have seven rows. The bottom row has seven fully exposed cards. The remaining 24 cards form the stock pile.

Which Cards Can Be Paired?

A card is available for pairing only when it is fully uncovered, meaning no other cards are overlapping it. At the start of the game, only the seven cards in the bottom row are available. As you remove cards from the bottom row, the cards in the row above become uncovered and available.

Making Pairs

Select two available cards whose values add up to 13, and they are both removed from the game. Kings have a value of 13 by themselves, so they can be removed individually without needing a partner. You may also pair a card from the pyramid with a card from the stock pile, as long as the pyramid card is uncovered.

The Stock Pile

When you cannot find any more pairs on the pyramid, draw a card from the stock pile. This drawn card can be paired with any available pyramid card. If it cannot be paired, it goes to the waste pile. In most versions, you may go through the stock pile only once, though some variations allow multiple passes.

Winning

You win when every card in the pyramid has been removed. If you run out of moves and stock pile cards with pyramid cards remaining, the game is lost.

Card Values and Pairs

Here is a complete reference of all the valid pairs in Pyramid Solitaire:

Notice that suits do not matter in Pyramid Solitaire. A heart Queen pairs with a spade Ace just as happily as with a heart Ace. This makes the game easier to learn and more approachable for beginners.

Strategy Tips

While Pyramid Solitaire involves more luck than some other solitaire games, good strategy can significantly improve your results:

1. Remove Kings immediately. Since Kings are removed on their own, there is no reason to leave them sitting on the pyramid. Take them off as soon as they become available to uncover the cards beneath them.
2. Work from the top down in your mind. Before making a pair on the bottom row, look at the cards higher in the pyramid. Consider which upper cards you need to uncover and whether your current move helps or hinders that goal.
3. Try to uncover both sides evenly. If you clear all the cards from one side of the pyramid but leave the other side full, you will have very few pairing options. Try to reduce the pyramid relatively evenly from both sides.
4. Look for chain reactions. Sometimes removing one pair uncovers cards that immediately create another pair. Spotting these chain opportunities lets you clear several cards in quick succession, which is both effective and satisfying.
5. Save the stock pile for when you are truly stuck. Before drawing from the stock, make sure you have checked all possible pairs on the pyramid itself. The stock is a limited resource, and using it wisely can make the difference between winning and losing.
6. Watch for cards that have no partner available. If you notice that a particular card's partner is buried deep in the pyramid or already in the waste pile, you may need to adjust your strategy. Sometimes you cannot clear the entire pyramid, and that is perfectly all right.

A Brief History

Pyramid Solitaire belongs to a family of "pairing" or "addition" solitaire games that have been played for over a century. These games, where you match cards by their numerical values rather than building sequences, originated in Europe and were popular parlor pastimes in the Victorian and Edwardian eras.

The pyramid layout specifically became well known in the early 1900s and was featured in various card game books throughout the 20th century. It gained renewed popularity in the digital age, appearing in many solitaire game collections on computers and mobile devices.

Today, Pyramid Solitaire is beloved for its gentle, meditative quality. Unlike the more strategic FreeCell or the sequence-building Klondike, Pyramid focuses on simple arithmetic and visual pattern recognition. Many players find it the perfect companion for unwinding at the end of a long day.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the card values in Pyramid Solitaire?

In Pyramid Solitaire, Aces are worth 1, numbered cards are worth their face value (2 through 10), Jacks are worth 11, Queens are worth 12, and Kings are worth 13. Since Kings already equal 13, they are removed on their own without needing a pair. All other cards must be paired with another card so the two values add up to exactly 13.

Is Pyramid Solitaire hard to win?

Pyramid Solitaire has a relatively low win rate compared to other solitaire games. Studies suggest that only about 1 in 50 deals are winnable with perfect play, making the win rate roughly 2-5%. However, partial victories (clearing most of the pyramid) are common and still very satisfying. Many players enjoy the game for the relaxing matching experience rather than focusing solely on winning.

What pairs add up to 13 in Pyramid Solitaire?

The valid pairs in Pyramid Solitaire are: Ace (1) + Queen (12), Two (2) + Jack (11), Three (3) + Ten (10), Four (4) + Nine (9), Five (5) + Eight (8), Six (6) + Seven (7). Kings (13) are removed by themselves since they already equal 13. Suits do not matter when making pairs.