Pyramid

How to play Pyramid

Twenty-eight cards are dealt into a seven-row pyramid, each row overlapping the one above it; the other twenty-four wait face-down in the stock. Remove cards in pairs that add up to 13 — Queen + Ace, Jack + 2, 10 + 3, 9 + 4, 8 + 5, 7 + 6 — and Kings on their own. A pyramid card is playable once the two cards covering it are gone, and the top card of the waste can pair with the board. Flip the stock one card at a time; when it empties you may recycle the waste twice. Clear the whole pyramid to win.

Tap a King to remove it, tap any other card to pair it automatically, or drag one card onto its partner when you want to choose between duplicates. Undo is unlimited.

Strategy tips

• Scan the deal before your first move. Find where each rank's four copies live — if both 6s you can reach sit under both 7s, that corner of the pyramid is a dead end you want to see coming.
• Clear toward exposure, not just downward. A pair that uncovers two new cards is worth more than one that uncovers none — prefer removing cards that sit side by side over cards on the edges.
• Don't spend pyramid pairs the waste can cover. If the 4 you need will come around in the stock, pairing your 9 with it later keeps a second 4 on the board available for the other 9.
• Count your stock passes. With two redeals you'll see each unused stock card up to three times — on the last pass, take any pair you can get.
• Kings are free moves, but not always now-moves. Removing a King costs nothing — except when leaving it in place keeps a better card covered for a turn while you set up elsewhere. (Rarely worth it; when in doubt, take the King.)

Pyramid vs. TriPeaks

Pyramid and TriPeaks look like cousins — overlapping triangles, a stock, quick deals — but they pull in opposite directions. TriPeaks is about riding long up-or-down chains off one waste pile; Pyramid is pure arithmetic, matching complements of 13 with no chains at all. TriPeaks rewards momentum, Pyramid rewards counting. If you like this one, Golf sits somewhere between the two.

Frequently asked questions

How do you win Pyramid Solitaire?

Clear all 28 cards off the pyramid by removing them in pairs whose ranks add up to 13. Aces count 1, Jacks 11, Queens 12, and Kings are 13 on their own — tap a King to remove it solo. Cards left in the stock or waste don't matter; only the pyramid has to empty.

Which pairs add up to 13?

King alone, Queen + Ace, Jack + 2, 10 + 3, 9 + 4, 8 + 5, and 7 + 6. There are only six pairings plus the King, so they become automatic within a few games.

When is a pyramid card playable?

When it isn't covered: the two cards overlapping it from the row below must both be gone. The bottom row is playable immediately, and clearing works upward toward the apex. You can also pair the top card of the waste with any uncovered pyramid card.

How does the stock work in Pyramid?

The 24 cards that don't fit on the pyramid wait face-down in the stock. Tap it to flip one card at a time onto the waste, and pair the waste's top card with pyramid cards. When the stock runs out you may flip the waste back over and go again — twice per game in this version. Strict paper rules allow just one pass; the three-pass convention is the common online rule.

Is every Pyramid deal winnable?

No — a substantial share of deals are impossible, most often because all four cards of a rank end up buried under their own pairing partners. That's part of the game's design: it plays fast, and a lost deal costs you a minute. Unlimited undo and the Restart button let you replay a promising deal differently.

Do I need an account to save my stats?

No. Games played, win rate, streaks and best times are stored in your browser on this device. Nothing is uploaded and there is nothing to sign up for.