FreeCell

About FreeCell

FreeCell is the thinking person's solitaire game. Unlike Klondike, all cards are dealt face-up, so every game is about strategy, not luck. Use four free cells as temporary storage to move cards and build foundation piles from Ace to King. Nearly every game is winnable!

History of FreeCell

FreeCell was invented by Paul Alfille in 1978 while he was a medical student at the University of Illinois. He programmed it on the PLATO educational computer system, where it gained a small but dedicated following. The game reached mass audiences when Jim Horne programmed a version for Microsoft Windows, which was included starting with the Microsoft Entertainment Pack in 1991 and later bundled with Windows 95. FreeCell's unique characteristic of having all cards dealt face-up made it a game of pure strategy rather than luck. The fact that nearly all deals are solvable (99.997%) made it addictively engaging, as players knew that failure was almost always due to their own mistakes rather than an impossible deal.

FreeCell Tips & Strategies

• 💡Keep free cells empty as long as possible; each occupied free cell reduces the number of cards you can move in a single action.
• 💡Plan several moves ahead before committing; the open information in FreeCell rewards careful analysis over impulsive play.
• 💡Prioritize freeing Aces and low cards (2s and 3s) to the foundations early, as this clears space and simplifies the board.
• 💡Create empty columns when possible; an empty column is worth more than a free cell because you can stack cards in it.
• 💡Move cards to free cells strategically to access buried cards, but always have a plan for emptying the free cells afterward.

Fun Facts About FreeCell

• ★Of the original 32,000 numbered FreeCell deals in Microsoft's game, only deal #11982 has been proven unsolvable by exhaustive computer search.
• ★Dave Ring, a mathematician, was the first person to systematically attempt all 32,000 Microsoft FreeCell deals, completing the project through an internet collaboration in 1994.
• ★FreeCell is classified as an "open" card game because all cards are visible from the start, making it purely a game of skill.
• ★The maximum number of cards that can be moved in one action in FreeCell follows the formula (1 + number of empty free cells) multiplied by 2 raised to the power of empty columns.

How to Play FreeCell

1. 1All 52 cards are dealt face-up into 8 columns
2. 2Move cards between columns in descending order, alternating colors
3. 3Use the 4 free cells (top left) as temporary storage for single cards
4. 4Build foundation piles (top right) by suit from Ace to King
5. 5Move all cards to the foundations to win!

Frequently Asked Questions about FreeCell