Pyramid Solitaire Strategy: How to Clear the Pyramid
How to win more Pyramid solitaire games: learn the pairs, spot cards buried under their partners and use the stock with a plan.
Sunroom Games · Updated
Pyramid looks like a simple game of adding up to 13, and moment to moment it is. The skill is in the order: which pair to take first, which partner to choose when you have two, and which cards to save for later. Get those right and you'll clear a lot more pyramids.
If you'd like the rules first, see how to play Pyramid.
Know your pairs by heart
Everything in Pyramid comes down to six pairs and a King:
| Card | Partner |
|---|---|
| Ace (1) | Queen (12) |
| 2 | Jack (11) |
| 3 | 10 |
| 4 | 9 |
| 5 | 8 |
| 6 | 7 |
| King (13) | goes on its own |
After a few games you'll see the pairs without thinking. Until then, a quick trick: take the card away from 13. A 9 needs 13 − 9 = 4.
1. Look at the whole pyramid before you start
Every card is face up, so take a moment to look before your first move. In particular, look for cards buried under their own partners. A 6 near the top that's covered by two 7s is a problem: those 7s will need other 6s to clear them, and then the buried 6 will need a 7 of its own. Spotting that early tells you which cards to save.
2. Clear Kings at once
A King needs no partner, so there is never a reason to wait. Clear each King the moment it's uncovered — it can only open up more of the pyramid.
3. Pair pyramid cards with each other first
A pair from the pyramid clears two pyramid cards in one go. A pair made with the waste pile clears only one. When you can do either, the pyramid pair is usually better — and the stock card will come round again later.
4. When you have a choice of partner, pick the one that opens up more
Often a card could pair with two different cards — say an 8 with either of two 5s. Prefer the partner that uncovers more of the pyramid. Each card in the middle of a row lies across two cards in the row above, while a card at either end lies across only one. Clearing the middle cards tends to open up the pyramid faster.
5. Keep count of the partners left
There are four of every rank, so each card has four possible partners in the deck (and every King, of course, needs none). When three of the four 7s are gone, the last 7 matters: it's the only card left that can clear the remaining 6s. Before you use a card that's in short supply, ask whether something in the pyramid still needs it.
6. Use the stock with a plan
The 24 cards in the stock come to you one at a time, always in the same order.
- With unlimited passes, there's no rush. If the card you need isn't on top of the waste, keep turning — it will come round.
- With three passes, each card is worth more. On the first pass, notice where the cards you'll need are in the stock. Because the order never changes, you'll know when to expect them next time.
7. Let the hint keep you on track
Our Pyramid hint only ever suggests a move that keeps the game winnable. If a game can no longer be won — usually because a card has been left with no partner it can ever reach — the hint tells you so plainly. That's your cue to undo a few moves and try a different pair.
Can every game be won?
Not every deal of Pyramid can. In our own tests, about one random deal in three can't be cleared even with unlimited passes and perfect play. That's why every new and daily game on Sunroom Games is checked before it's dealt: there's always a way through.