How do the foundations work in FreeCell?

The foundations are where every FreeCell game is ultimately won. Here is exactly how they fill up.

Quick answer: The four foundations are the goal piles, one per suit. You build each one upward starting with the Ace, then the two, three, and so on up to the King. Move all 52 cards onto the foundations and you win the game.

One pile per suit, Ace to King

There are four foundation spaces, one for each suit. Each starts empty and takes the Ace of its suit first, then builds upward in order: Ace, two, three, all the way to King. You can only add the very next card in the suit, so the hearts foundation will not accept the five of hearts until the four is already there. The rules page shows this in action.

Sending cards home

Any card that is next in line for its foundation can be sent up from a column or a free cell. Getting the Aces and low cards up early is a smart opening, because it clears clutter and opens moves. But do not rush every card home - sometimes a low card is more useful sitting in a column to catch another card.

Winning the game

When all four foundations reach their King, every one of the 52 cards is home and you have won. Most versions, including ours, auto-play obvious cards to the foundations near the end to save you clicks. Ready to fill some foundations? Start a deal on the main board.

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Related questions

How do you win FreeCell?

You win by moving all 52 cards to the four foundations, each built up from Ace to King in a single suit. The path there is about planning: get the Aces and low cards up early, keep free cells and columns open, and always think a few moves ahead before you commit.

What are the free cells for?

The four free cells are open spaces that each hold exactly one card. They give the game its name and its strategy: you use them to park cards temporarily, freeing up moves and letting you shuffle stacks around. Think of them as four extra hands that can each carry one card.

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.