Rules
Las Vegas Solitaire rules at a glance
- Use one standard 52-card deck.
- Deal the classic seven-column Klondike tableau, with only each column's top card face up.
- Build tableau columns downward by alternating red and black cards.
- Move single face-up cards or legal descending, alternating-color sequences.
- Only a king or a sequence beginning with a king may fill an empty tableau column.
- Build foundations upward by exact suit from ace to king.
- Draw one card at a time from the stock to the waste.
- Use one stock pass only. The waste does not recycle into the stock.
- Start at -$52 and add $5 for each card currently on the foundations.
- Win by moving all 52 cards to the foundations.
Basics
What is Las Vegas Solitaire?
Las Vegas Solitaire is Klondike Solitaire with money pressure added to the familiar seven columns. The tableau still builds downward by alternating color, foundations still build by suit from ace to king, and hidden cards still drive most of the tactical work. The difference is that the stock is no longer forgiving and the score gives every foundation card a visible value.
This site uses a clear one-pass version: draw one card at a time, do not redeal the waste, begin at -$52, and add $5 for each card on the foundations. That makes the break-even point easy to understand. Eleven foundation cards put the score above zero; a complete win pays the full $208 net.
Scoring
Vegas scoring on this page
- Opening deal: Score starts at -$52, like paying $1 for each card in the deck.
- Foundation card: Each card currently on a foundation adds $5.
- Best possible finish: All 52 cards on the foundations produces a $208 net score.
- No redeal: When the stock is gone, the waste is not recycled in this version.
- Foundation back move: Moving a foundation card back to the tableau lowers the live score by $5 until it returns.
Moves
Legal moves and common traps
Tableau moves follow Klondike rules. A red 8 can move onto a black 9. A black jack can move onto a red queen. A face-up sequence can move together only when every card in that sequence already descends by one rank and alternates color. Face-down cards are locked until the cards above them move away.
Foundation moves are stricter: each suit starts with its ace and climbs by exact suit. The score makes foundation moves tempting, but Vegas Solitaire punishes lazy timing. A card sent up too early might be the only landing spot that can reveal a hidden card. This version lets you move a top foundation card back to the tableau when legal, and the score updates because the card is no longer on a foundation.
Ace to foundationLegal, starts a suit foundation and improves the score by $5.
6 of hearts to 7 of clubsLegal tableau move because it descends one rank and changes color.
6 of hearts to 7 of diamondsIllegal because the tableau colors do not alternate.
Queen to an empty columnIllegal unless the moving face-up sequence starts with a king.
Waste card after stock endsLegal only if that top waste card fits a tableau column or foundation.
Recycle the wasteNot legal here. This page uses one stock pass.
Stock
The one-pass stock changes the whole game
In regular draw-one Klondike, cycling the stock can be a way to wait for a better moment. In Las Vegas Solitaire, every draw spends part of the only pass. You can still play the top waste card after the stock runs out, but once a waste card is covered, it will not come back unless undo restores the position.
Before drawing, check whether the current waste card can start a foundation, expose a hidden tableau card, or create a useful king space. Passing a playable waste card is often the difference between a small loss and a paying score.
Columns
Empty columns are valuable but narrow
Empty columns accept only kings or legal sequences that begin with kings. A good empty column turns a buried stack into playable information. A poor empty column simply parks a king and leaves the hidden cards untouched.
The Vegas score can distract from this. Do not chase a quick $5 foundation move if it prevents a king from opening a deep column. Money comes from foundations, but foundations usually come from reveals.
Strategy
Las Vegas Solitaire strategy
Think in two ledgers: card access and score. The visible score rewards foundations, but the hidden tableau decides how many foundation cards you can reach. Prioritize moves that flip face-down cards, especially in the longer columns. A move that reveals a card is usually worth more than a move that only makes the board look tidy.
Treat the waste as a limited appointment book. If a waste card can be played now, ask what it unlocks before drawing over it. A low card that starts a foundation is often safe, but a middle card may be more useful as a tableau bridge. With no redeal, the cost of guessing is higher than in friendly Klondike.
Use undo to compare lines. Vegas Solitaire is partly about accepting that not every deal pays out, but many positions have a better and worse order. Undo lets you test whether a foundation move, a king space, or a stock draw should happen first.
Mistakes
Common Las Vegas Solitaire mistakes
- Drawing through the stock before checking the playable waste card.
- Moving cards to foundations only because the score rises.
- Filling an empty column with a king that reveals nothing useful.
- Ignoring deep face-down columns while rearranging shallow visible cards.
- Forgetting that a covered waste card will not return in this one-pass version.
- Expecting regular Klondike redeals and running out of stock too casually.
Winnability
Is Las Vegas Solitaire winnable?
Las Vegas Solitaire is not always winnable. The shuffle can bury essential cards, and the one-pass stock can hide a useful card behind timing you cannot repair later. This page does not filter deals to guarantee a solution.
That does not make decisions cosmetic. Better play often turns a losing deal into a smaller loss, a break-even deal, or a real payout. The score is useful because it shows progress even when the full 52-card finish is out of reach.
Variants
Las Vegas, Vegas scoring, and house rules
Different sites use the name Vegas Solitaire for related but not identical rules. Some versions use draw three, some track cumulative money across many deals, and some use different penalties for moving cards back from foundations. Those differences change the feel of the game, especially around stock timing and risk.
The version here is intentionally direct: draw one, one stock pass, live score based on foundation cards, and no account or bankroll carried between games. It keeps the casino pressure without turning a quick solitaire page into bookkeeping.