How to Play Tripeaks Solitaire: Rules & Strategies

The object of Tripeaks Solitaire is to empty the tableau by pairing exposed cards that are one rank higher or lower than the face-up foundation pile card. The tricky part is that cards can't be wrapped, meaning you can't place an ace on a king or a king on an ace.

While Tripeak Solitaire rules are simple, it takes strategy to win the game. Practice what you've learned by playing Tripeaks online for free on Solitaire Bliss.

Tripeaks Solitaire Rules

Here are the basic guidelines on gameplay for Tripeaks Solitaire:

• A card can only be moved if it's one rank higher or one rank lower than the card in the foundation pile. For example, if the foundation pile has a card with the number three, regardless of suit, then the only card that can be played on it is a four or a two of any suit.
• Unless you're playing Easy Tripeaks Solitaire, you can't wrap ranks. This means a king can't be placed on an ace and an ace can't be placed on a king.
• Cards can never move from the foundation pile to the tableau. If you're unable to move cards from the tableau to the foundation piles, then you must use the stockpile to deal a new card to play with.
• Once you've run out of stock cards and have no more moves, you lose the game.

How to Play Tripeaks Solitaire

The next few sections will discuss how to set up and how to play Tripeaks Solitaire.

1. Set Up the Three Peaks

You begin to set up the game with a standard deck of cards. The first 28 face-up cards are dealt onto the tableau into triple peaks with four rows.

The top row has three cards, which are the peak of each pyramid. The second row has six cards, the third row has nine, and finally the bottom row has ten cards. You'll put the remaining cards into the facedown stockpile at the bottom left of the tableau. The top card of the stockpile is flipped up to form the foundation pile and begin the game.

2. Play a Card That's One Rank Higher or Lower on the Foundation Pile

You can place an open card from the tableau onto the foundation pile if it is one rank higher or lower than the foundation pile card. An open card is any card that isn't covered by another card. For example, if a two of hearts is covered by a jack of spades, you won't be able to play the two until you move the jack. You can only play the jack if there is an open queen or ten of any suit on the foundation pile.

You'll continue to stack cards on the foundation pile, playing off each card regardless of suit or color, until you get stuck.

3. Use the Stockpile When You Can't Make Moves to the Foundation Pile

At some point during the Tripeaks Solitaire game, you'll end up getting stuck and find yourself needing to use the stockpile. When using the stockpile, flip a single card from the stockpile face-up onto the foundation pile.

For example, if you're building the foundation pile and end up placing a king on a queen, you won't be able to wrap ranks and play an ace. If you don't have another queen available, you'll need to use the stockpile to place a card on top of the king so you can start afresh.

4. Clear All the Peaks to Win

The object of the game of TriPeaks is to clear all of the playing cards from the peaks. Once you've cleared all the cards from the tableau, you win the game. You can win even if there are cards in the stockpile since the point of the game is to only clear the peaks.

Tripeaks Solitaire Strategies

Keep these strategies in mind to have a better chance of winning Tripeaks Solitaire.

• Evaluate where twos and queens are. Remember, you won't be able to wrap kings and aces or place one on top of the other. So, keep track of where your queens and twos are, as playing them strategically will help you avoid using the stockpile.
• Balance deconstructing the peaks. Each of the three peaks has an even amount of cards placed in it. Keep those balanced as you play the game, making sure that you play an even amount of cards from each when possible. This way, you're less likely to get stuck.
• Choose cards to maximize your moves to the foundation pile. Make sure the cards you place on the foundation pile will yield you the most future moves possible. For example, if there are two eights you can play on a seven in the foundation pile, check and see what kind of cards are underneath those eights. If there's a nine that's behind one of the eights that will allow you to build more on the foundation pile, you'll know to choose that eight.
• Use the stockpile only when necessary. The stockpile should only be used when there are no more moves for you to make. This is because you're unable to go through the stockpile again.
• Utilize the undo button and hints. If you play Tripeaks Solitaire on Solitaire Bliss, you'll have the option of using the undo button to undo moves. If you've made a mistake, you can go back and redo your moves instead of having to start a whole new game. However, if you'd rather have a clean slate, you can reset your game by clicking “+New.”

Online Games Similar to Tripeaks Solitaire

If you've started playing Tripeaks Solitaire, consider playing these other Solitaire games that are similar to Tripeaks.

• Pyramid Solitaire: Like Tripeaks Solitaire, Pyramid focuses on the number of cards, rather than the suit. In this game, you must match an unblocked card on the pyramid with another unblocked card that add up to 13.
• Golf Solitaire: In this game, you move a card that's one rank higher or one lower onto the foundation pile. However, instead of playing from peaks, you play from seven tableau piles.
• Easy Tri Peaks: You'll play this game just like the normal Tripeaks Solitaire card game. However, you're allowed to play a king on an ace or an ace on a king, which can help you avoid getting stuck.
• All In A Row: This game is played in the same way as Easy Tripeaks, except there's no stockpile or waste pile. This means that if you get stuck, you lose the game.

Play Tripeaks Solitaire for Free Online!

If Tripeaks Solitaire seems like the game for you, try playing online for free on Solitaire Bliss. You don't have to log in or create an account to play, although you can if you'd like to track your progress or compete with friends.

Playing online gives you the chance to have access to the undo button and it's much easier instead of having to set up the game on your own. Try for free today on Solitaire Bliss.