How to play FreeCell
FreeCell is a one-player card game where all 52 cards are face up from the start. Use four free cells to move cards and build each suit from Ace to King. Almost every deal can be won, and a game takes 5 to 10 minutes.
Play FreeCell freeFreeCell at a glance
- Players
- 1
- Cards
- One 52-card deck, all face up
- Goal
- Build four foundations from Ace to King
- Game length
- About 5–10 minutes
How to play FreeCell
Plan ahead
Every card is visible, so find the cards you need before you move.
Use free cells
Park up to four single cards in the free cells while you rearrange columns.
Build home
Move each suit up from Ace to King on the foundations to win.
Complete FreeCell rules
Setup
Deal all 52 cards face up into eight columns, four of seven cards and four of six. Above them sit four free cells and four foundations.
Moving cards
Move the top card of a column onto a card one rank higher of the opposite color, into an empty free cell, or onto its foundation. Each free cell holds one card.
Moving groups
You can move several cards at once when there are enough free cells and empty columns to move them one at a time. The game does this for you.
Winning
Build all four foundations by suit, from Ace to King, to win.
Tips to win at FreeCell
- Look several moves ahead before using a free cell. They fill up fast.
- Free the Aces and 2s early. They are usually buried.
- An empty column is worth more than a free cell, because it can hold a whole run.
Ways to play FreeCell
Classic
Four free cells, the standard game.
Expert
Play with three or two free cells for a harder puzzle.
Numbered deals
Replay any game by its number and compare results with friends.
Play by your house rules
- Free cells432
- DealRandomChoose a number
- Auto-move to foundationsOnOff
About FreeCell
FreeCell became famous in the mid-1990s, when it came preinstalled on home computers. Because nearly every deal can be solved, it is a favorite of players who enjoy pure strategy.
Rules reviewed by the tavlo.gg game team · Updated October 10, 2026Questions about FreeCell
Can every FreeCell game be won?
How many cards can I move at once?
What do the game numbers mean?
Is FreeCell free to play?
Can I play FreeCell on my phone?
- Can every FreeCell game be won?
- Almost every deal can be solved. Of the classic 32,000 numbered deals, only one is known to be impossible.
- How many cards can I move at once?
- It depends on your free cells and empty columns. With four free cells and no empty column you can move five cards.
- What do the game numbers mean?
- Each number is a fixed deal, so you can replay a game or challenge a friend with the same cards.
- Is FreeCell free to play?
- Yes. FreeCell is free in your browser, with no download and no sign-up. You can start as a guest, and your progress saves on this device.
- Can I play FreeCell on my phone?
- Yes. FreeCell runs in any phone or tablet browser, with touch controls and nothing to install.