How is FreeCell different from Klondike?
FreeCell and Klondike are both solitaire, but they play like completely different games. Here is what sets them apart.
Face up vs face down
Klondike hides cards in its columns and feeds you a draw pile, so you never see the whole board at once. FreeCell lays all 52 cards face up from the start - no hidden cards and no draw pile. That single difference is why FreeCell rewards planning while Klondike rewards a bit of luck.
Free cells vs the stock
Instead of a draw pile, FreeCell gives you four free cells to park cards temporarily. You build down in alternating colors in both games, and up by suit on the foundations in both - but FreeCell's open layout means far more of your moves are choices, not draws. The rules page lays out each move.
Which is harder?
Klondike deals are lost to luck fairly often, while about 99.999% of FreeCell deals are winnable, so FreeCell is more consistently beatable but less forgiving of mistakes. If you find strict rules too much, the gentler Relaxed FreeCell loosens things up while keeping the same feel.
Related questions
What is FreeCell?
FreeCell is a solitaire game played with one 52-card deck dealt face up into eight columns. You have four free cells - open spaces that each hold a single card - and the goal is to build all four suits up from Ace to King on the foundations. Because every card is visible from the start, FreeCell is almost pure strategy.
Is FreeCell luck or skill?
FreeCell is almost entirely skill. Because all 52 cards are dealt face up and around 99.999% of deals are winnable, there is no hidden information and almost no luck. Whether you win or lose comes down to your planning, not the shuffle.
Where did FreeCell come from?
FreeCell was invented by Paul Alfille in 1978, who programmed it for the PLATO educational computer system. It stayed a niche computer game for years until Microsoft included it with Windows 95, which introduced it to hundreds of millions of people.