How to Play TriPeaks Solitaire (Rules and Strategy)
TriPeaks Solitaire is a single-player card game where you clear three overlapping peaks of cards by playing cards one rank above or below the current foundation card. It’s faster than Klondike, friendlier than FreeCell, and the mechanic — building a chain of consecutive cards — produces some of the most satisfying combo runs in any card game. Originally designed by Robert Hogue at Microsoft in 1989 for the Microsoft Entertainment Pack, TriPeaks became a mobile phenomenon in the 2010s and is now one of the most-played free card games online.
Key takeaways
- TriPeaks uses one standard 52-card deck; the goal is to remove all 28 peak cards.
- The tableau has three peaks of 4 rows each, with 28 face-up cards available across the layout.
- Play any card one rank higher or lower than the foundation card (Aces wrap to Kings and 2s).
- The remaining 24 cards form a stock pile — flip them when you can’t play.
- Skilled play emphasizes long combo chains for high scores and full peak clears.
Setup
From a shuffled standard 52-card deck, deal 28 cards face-up into the tableau, arranged as three overlapping triangular peaks of four rows:
- Top row: Three single cards (the peaks), face-up.
- Second row: Six cards (two below each peak), face-up.
- Third row: Nine cards (three below each peak’s second row, overlapping in the gaps), face-up.
- Fourth row: Ten cards in a single horizontal row, face-up.
Each card in an upper row covers two cards below it. A card cannot be played until both cards covering it have been removed.
The remaining 24 cards form the stock pile. Flip one card from the stock to start; this is your initial foundation card.
The objective
Remove all 28 tableau cards. A clear is the win condition. Most digital versions also score the run — points per card, combo bonuses for chains, big bonuses for full clears.
The core rule
You can play any face-up tableau card whose rank is exactly one above or one below the current foundation card, regardless of suit. The played card becomes the new foundation. You build longer and longer chains by stringing consecutive cards together.
Aces are circular: an Ace plays on a 2 or a King; a King plays on a Queen or an Ace; a 2 plays on an Ace or a 3.
When you can’t make a play, draw the top card from the stock and place it as the new foundation. Continue until either all tableau cards are cleared (win) or the stock is exhausted and no plays remain (loss).
An example chain
Say the foundation card is 7♠. You see a 6♣ in the tableau — play it. Foundation is now 6♣. You see a 5♦ — play it. Foundation is now 5♦. You see a 4♠ — play it. Then 3♥, then 2♣, then Ace♦, then King♣ (Aces wrap to Kings), then Queen♥. Eight cards in a chain.
That chain might have unblocked two cards in the third row, which now lets you start a new chain in the other direction. Skilled TriPeaks is about seeing chains that unlock further chains.
Scoring (typical digital version)
Scoring rules vary by platform, but the standard scheme used by Microsoft Solitaire Collection and most mobile versions:
- 1st card in a chain: 1 point
- 2nd consecutive: 2 points
- 3rd: 3 points
- 4th and beyond: 4+ points each, increasing
- Clearing a peak: 15-30 bonus points
- Clearing the full tableau: Large bonus, often equal to the cards remaining in the stock
The scoring rewards long chains and full clears. A run that clears the tableau with cards still in the stock can outscore a slow run that uses every stock card.
Strategy
Plan chains before playing them
The biggest jump in skill is learning to look at the whole tableau before making your first move. A 4 that you could play immediately might be the key to a 6-card chain if you wait until after you’ve cleared the surrounding cards. Don’t play impulsively — scan for the longest available chain and start there.
Save your wild cards
Some TriPeaks variations include a “wild” card that can be played on any foundation. Don’t burn wilds early — save them for moments when they unlock a long chain or break a stuck position. The same logic applies to high-value rank cards that bridge gaps.
Prioritize covered cards
A card at the top of a peak is worth 30 bonus points (or whatever the peak bonus is). To clear a peak, you must clear both the cards covering it. Plan your chains to expose peak tops, not to clear easy bottom-row cards that don’t unlock anything.
Watch your stock count
You have 24 stock flips. Each one breaks your chain. If you’re about to flip the stock for a single card, ask whether you could have played one more card from the tableau first to extend a chain. Conservation of stock flips is the second biggest jump in skill.
Don’t chase impossible clears
Some TriPeaks deals are unwinnable. The math gets ugly fast when the deal puts essential cards (the only 9, say) at the bottom of the stock with no chains that can reach them. After three or four flips with no productive play, accept the loss and start a new game.
Variations
- Triple Peaks: The standard format described above.
- Tri-Towers: A variant with the peaks rearranged as pyramids of different heights.
- Spider TriPeaks: Two decks (104 cards), more peaks, suits matter.
- Wasp TriPeaks: Wild cards added to the deck.
- TriPeaks with limit: No stock pile; you must clear with only the initial flip.
The mobile app TriPeaks Solitaire and the various “Solitaire TriPeaks” titles on iOS and Android usually use the standard format with daily challenges, leaderboards, and progression unlocks layered on top.
Where to play
TriPeaks is built into Microsoft Solitaire Collection (Windows, browser, mobile) as one of its five default games. Free browser versions are available on solitr.com, world-of-solitaire.com, and Microsoft’s own web Solitaire. Mobile apps include TriPeaks Solitaire by MobilityWare and Solitaire TriPeaks by GSN Games.
The “right” version is whichever doesn’t bury the gameplay under ads. Microsoft’s official version is the cleanest for desktop; MobilityWare is the standard mobile recommendation.
For a different single-player card challenge, our games like Solitaire roundup covers FreeCell, Spider, Pyramid, and the rest of the family. When you need a non-card palate cleanser, the Chrome Dino game is one button away.
Frequently asked questions
Is TriPeaks Solitaire winnable every time?
No. The deal randomization means some games are mathematically unwinnable from the start. Estimates vary, but roughly 90% of deals are theoretically solvable with optimal play; in practice, players win about 50-70% of games depending on skill.
What’s the highest possible TriPeaks score?
The theoretical maximum depends on the specific scoring rules and bonuses, but a full clear with maximum chains (using minimal stock flips) typically scores in the 800-1500 point range in standard implementations.
Can you undo moves in TriPeaks?
Most digital versions allow unlimited undos, though some count them against your score or end your “perfect run” eligibility. Casual play with undos enabled is much more forgiving than competitive play without them.
Who invented TriPeaks?
Robert Hogue, a Microsoft programmer, designed TriPeaks in 1989 for the original Microsoft Entertainment Pack — the same Windows software bundle that introduced Minesweeper to the mainstream. The game’s combo-chain mechanic was Hogue’s original contribution.
Why is it called “TriPeaks”?
The name describes the tableau’s three triangular peaks at the top of the layout. Other names for similar games include “Three Peaks,” “Triple Peaks,” and “Tri-Tower.” The mechanic and the name come from the same designer.
The bottom line
TriPeaks Solitaire is the chain-builder’s solitaire. The basic rules take two minutes to learn; the difference between a 200-point run and an 800-point run is reading the tableau before you click. Start with one peak in mind, build the longest chain you can find, and don’t flip the stock until you have to. The next combo is always one card away.
