HOW TO PLAY FREECELL

ABOUT FREECELL

FreeCell is played with a single deck of 52 cards, dealt face up into eight columns. You'll draw from these columns to build your four stacks.

In the upper-left corner are four free cells, where you temporarily store cards during play.

In the upper-right corner are four home cells,
where you build the stacks needed to win.

How to play

Draw cards from the bottom of each column and move them in the following ways:

• From column to free cell. Only one card can occupy each free cell at a time.
• From column to column (or free cell to column). Cards must be placed on a column in descending sequential order, and alternating red and black.
• From column to home cell. Each stack must consist of a single suit, and start with an ace.
  
  
  INSTRUCTIONS
  
  
  • Ask for hints. Stuck? Press the H key to light up your next move.
  • Uncover buried cards. If you can't clearly see a card, right-click it. The card will remain visible as long as you hold down the mouse button.
  • Play it again, Windows. To play the same hand over, note the game number at the bottom-left corner of the screen, click the Game menu, click Select Game, and then type in that number. It's a fun way to test a different strategy, or to see if a friend could have played the same hand any better.
  • Plan ahead. Move cards deliberately to establish long runs, clear columns, and bring home aces.
  • Aces first. When low cards are buried in a column, it's better to dig them out and move them to a home cell early.
  • Free up free cells. The more available free cells there are, the easier it is to shift cards around. Aim to leave a free cell empty when a move is complete.
  • Clear whole columns. Whenever possible, move every card from a column and fill it again starting with as high a card as possible—ideally, nothing lower than a ten. Kings are best.