Is Turn 3 solitaire harder than Turn 1?

Yes. Because cards come off the stock in groups of three, some cards stay hidden pass after pass. You need to plan which cards to play from the waste so the cards you need line up on the next pass.

How many times can I go through the stock?

As many times as you like. When the stock is empty, tap it to turn the waste back over. In this mode each recycle costs 20 points, a much smaller penalty than the 100 points in Turn 1.

Are the deals winnable?

Each deal is checked by a solver that plays by the turn-three rules, and a new deal is tried if no win is found. Almost every game you get can be won, though it is not an absolute guarantee.

How does scoring work in 3 card solitaire?

You score 5 for waste to tableau, 10 per card on a foundation, and 5 per card turned face up. Moving a card off a foundation costs 15 and each recycle costs 20, with the score never below zero. Wins of 30 seconds or more add a time bonus of 700,000 divided by your seconds.

Is my progress saved?

Yes. Every move is saved in your browser automatically, so you can close the tab and finish the same deal later. No account is needed.

3 Card Solitaire - Play Online Free

Q: What is 3 card solitaire?

It is Klondike solitaire where each tap on the stock turns over three cards instead of one. Only the top card of the three can be played, so the cards underneath stay out of reach until you play the one above them.

3 card solitaire is classic Klondike with a twist that changes everything: each time you tap the stock, three cards are turned over and only the top one can be played. It is the version many long-time players prefer, because it rewards planning instead of just patience. On PlayToffee you can play Solitaire Turn 3 free in your browser, with unlimited redeals, undo, hints, autosave, and deals that are checked by a solver before you play them.

What is 3 Card Solitaire?

The table is the same as in standard Klondike. Seven tableau columns hold 28 cards, from one card in the first column to seven in the last, with only the top card of each face up. The other 24 cards form the stock. Your goal is to move all 52 cards onto four foundations, one per suit, from Ace up to King.

The difference is in the stock. In turn-one solitaire every stock card comes up one by one, so each card can be reached on every pass. With turn three, the stock is dealt in groups of three onto the waste, fanned so you can see them, and only the top card of the fan is playable. The two cards beneath it become available only after you play the card above. Some cards can stay buried for several passes, and every card you play from the waste shifts the groups that come up next time.

If you are new to the game, start with the gentler Klondike Solitaire, which turns one card at a time. When turn three feels comfortable, Pyramid Solitaire offers a completely different challenge.

How to Play Solitaire Turn 3

Look at the layout. The stock and waste are at the top left, the four foundations at the top right, and the seven tableau columns below.
Turn three cards. Tap the stock, or press Space or D. Three cards land on the waste, and the top one is ready to play.
Build the tableau down. Place cards in descending order with alternating colours, such as a black 7 on a red 8. You can move any face-up run together if its lowest card fits.
Use empty columns for Kings. Only a King, or a run headed by a King, can fill an empty column.
Reveal hidden cards. When a face-down card is uncovered, it flips over by itself.
Build each foundation from Ace to King. Cards go home in suit order: Ace, 2, 3, and so on.
Recycle when the stock runs out. Tap the empty stock to turn the waste back into a new stock. There is no limit on passes.
Finish automatically. When the stock and waste are empty and every tableau card is face up, the rest of the game plays itself out.

Controls

Action	Keyboard	Mouse	Touch
Move a card or run	None	Drag it to a pile	Drag it to a pile
Send a card to its best spot	None	Click the card	Tap the card
Send a card to its foundation	None	Double-click the card	Double-tap the card
Turn three cards	Space or D	Click the stock	Tap the stock
Undo last move	Ctrl+Z / Cmd+Z	Click Undo	Tap Undo
Get a hint	H	Click Hint	Tap Hint

A tap sends a card to its foundation if it can go there, otherwise to the best open spot in the tableau.

Tips & Strategies

Go through the stock once before committing. On your first pass, just look. Note which cards are on top of each group of three, since those are the ones you can reach without changing anything.
Every waste play shifts the groups. When you take a card off the waste, the cards that follow move up by one, so the next pass shows different cards on top. Use this on purpose to bring a buried card within reach.
Play the tableau first. Make every useful tableau move before you turn the stock again. Each turn of three cards uses up a group you might have wanted later.
Prioritise face-down cards. Hidden tableau cards are the main obstacle. Moves that flip a new card are almost always worth more than moves that only shuffle face-up cards around.
Keep cards on the table as landing spots. Sending a 6 home might strand a 5 from the waste that needed it. Build foundations evenly across the suits.
Save empty columns for Kings. Only empty a column when a King is ready to move in, preferably one that will free more cards.
Lean on Undo and Hint. Undo lets you test a line of play and back out. The hint points at a useful move or the stock, and tells you when no useful move is left.

How Turn Three Changes the Game

Because only every third card in the stock is directly reachable on a pass, turn three is much more about timing than turn one. A card you need might sit in the middle of a group. To reach it, you play cards off the waste until the groups shift, or you recycle and hope the new order works in your favour. Strong players think a pass ahead, deliberately playing or holding waste cards to set up the next round.

Redeals are unlimited, and the penalty is light: each recycle costs −20 points instead of the −100 in turn one. The rest of the scoring is the classic scheme: +5 for waste to tableau, +10 for each card on a foundation, +5 for each card turned face up, and −15 for moving a card off a foundation, with the score never below zero. Wins that took 30 seconds or more earn a time bonus of 700,000 divided by your time in seconds.

Each deal is checked by a solver that plays by the same turn-three rules. If it cannot find a win within its search budget, another deal is tried, so nearly every game you start can be won, though not every single deal is guaranteed.

Want more solitaire? If turn three feels too punishing, switch back to Klondike Solitaire with one card at a time. For a change of pace, Pyramid Solitaire is all about pairing cards that add up to 13. Browse all of our card games for more.