Klondike · FreeCell · Spider
Solitaire rules comparator
Side-by-side rule table for Klondike, FreeCell, and planned Spider on NoCharge — decks, draw, tableau, foundations, and what each one makes you decide.
Category: Learning
Bottom line: The comparator lays out Klondike, FreeCell, and planned Spider in one table: decks, draw behavior, tableau, foundations, planning style, and local storage. It is rules comparison, not a difficulty ranking, and it links each entry to the live game or guide.
Rules side by side
Classic solitaire families
| Rule | Klondike (live) | FreeCell (live) | Spider (planned) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Decks | 1 (52 cards) | 1 (52 cards) | 2 decks (104); 1, 2, or 4 suits |
| Tableau | 7 columns, increasing; top card face-up | 8 columns, all face-up | 10 columns; hidden cards with exposed top cards |
| Draw | Stock to waste, draw-one or draw-three | No stock; cards are already distributed | One card dealt to each column per turn; no waste |
| Foundations | 4 foundations, Ace-up by suit | 4 foundations, Ace-up by suit | 8 completed King-to-Ace sequences, 13 cards each |
| Key skill | Ordering with limited knowledge | Planning with complete knowledge | Building descending sequences within suits |
| Local metric | Games won, best moves, draw preference | Games won | No NoCharge metric; not playable |
| Guide | Klondike guide | FreeCell guide | Not yet available |
Spider rows are a reference to common rules, not a specification or release promise. Read the live Klondike and FreeCell pages for their exact implemented rules.
Comparison reading
- Klondike combines visible moves with hidden tableau cards; draw mode changes which waste cards are available.
- FreeCell exposes the whole deal from the start. Planning uses complete card information, but deals still vary and solvability is not guaranteed.
- Spider (planned) uses two decks and removes complete descending same-suit sequences. Suit count changes the sorting task, not the total of 104 cards.
How it works
This is a static rule reference, not a deal simulator. Read across a row to compare the same feature: card count, hidden information, stock behavior, or foundation goal. Klondike and FreeCell link to playable NoCharge implementations; Spider is a reference for a planned, not currently playable, game.
Worked example
In both Klondike and FreeCell, a black 7 can sit on a red 8 in the tableau, while a foundation needs the same suit in ascending order. An empty tableau column differs: Klondike needs a king, but FreeCell accepts any card.
FreeCell's sequence capacity is (empty free cells + 1) × 2 to the power of the spare empty columns. With one free cell and one spare empty column, the capacity is (1 + 1) × 2 = 4 cards. An empty destination column is not also counted as spare workspace. Klondike does not use this free-cell capacity rule.
What it cannot do
- The table does not inspect a live deal, certify solvability, suggest a move, or rank the games by difficulty.
- Classic solitaire has variants. The linked NoCharge guides and game-page rules describe the shipped implementations; the Spider column is not a promise about a future release.
- Seeing all FreeCell cards removes hidden information, not variation between deals. It does not mean every random deal is solvable.
- This comparison has no saved choices or metrics and remains readable without JavaScript.
FAQ
Which solitaire is easiest to learn?
The comparator does not rank difficulty — that depends on the player and the ruleset. It lists rule differences; Klondike is the most familiar, FreeCell is fully face-up, and Spider uses multiple decks.
Does NoCharge have Spider yet?
Not yet. Spider is a planned reference column, not a playable NoCharge game. It describes common 1/2/4-suit rules without promising a release date or final implementation.
What is the difference between draw-one and draw-three?
In Klondike, draw-one turns over one stock card per click; draw-three turns over three, and the waste pile cycles. NoCharge remembers the choice under nocharge:pref:klondike-draw-mode.
Why does FreeCell call itself "all cards visible"?
Every card in FreeCell's tableau is face-up, so the game is about planning moves with free cells and empty columns rather than guessing about hidden cards.
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Try it with a game
- Play Klondike
Draw-one or draw-three on a classic tableau.
- Play FreeCell
Every card visible; plan with free cells.
- Solitaire glossary
Foundation, tableau, stock, waste in one sentence each.