Solitaire Set Up: How to Deal Solitaire

Dealing Solitaire can sound a bit confusing, but it’s quite simple. This Solitaire set up article will have you playing in no time.

We’ll cover all the elements of a Solitaire game—the tableau, foundations, stock and waste, although they’re not all part of the initial deal. These Solitaire dealing instructions are for the most common form of Solitaire, which is called Klondike or Canfield.

How to Deal Solitaire: Set Up

To start our Solitaire set up, we’ll begin by dealing the tableau, which are the 7 columns. Each column or pile contains the same number of cards as its position in line, with only the bottom card face up. So, column:

1 has 1 face up card (deal 7 cards from left to right with only the first card face up)
2 has 1 face down and 1 face up (deal 6 cards second from left to right the first face up)
3 has 2 face down and 1 face up (deal 5 cards third from left to right with first face up)

4 has 3 face down and 1 face up (deal 4 cards fourth from left to right with first face up)
5 has 4 face down and 1 face up (deal 3 cards fifth from left to right with first face up)
6 has 5 face down and 1 face up (deal 2 cards sixth from left to right with first face up)

7 has 6 face down and 1 face up (deal 1 card face up on the far right pile)

Here’s what this process looks like from stages 1 to 7:

This last picture shows the complete tableau—7 columns of cards with each column having the same number of cards as its position in line (first column has 1 card, second column has 2 cards and so on).

The remainder of the deck, called the stock, is placed above the first column:

The deal is complete at this point, and you’re ready to start playing. If you want a reminder, here are few other things you’ll run into just after the deal.

When you empty a column, a lone king or a sequence starting with a king can be moved into it.

The 4 foundations, where the Aces are placed, are not part of the deal. They aren’t filled until an Ace is turned up. Here’s where they will be placed:

The 4 foundations are placed above columns 4-7. They aren’t dealt at the beginning. These positions will be empty until an Ace is turned up.

As you turn over cards from the stock, this will form the waste pile, which is placed next to the stock above the second column:

That’s all the positions. I hope this Solitaire set up instructional was helpful. Deal yourself some Solitaire and enjoy!