Best First Moves in Solitaire Advanced Tips

Why Your First Moves Matter So Much

In solitaire, the first few moves you make have a disproportionate impact on the rest of the game. A strong opening creates a cascade of opportunities, uncovering useful cards and setting up productive sequences. A poor opening can close off options and leave you struggling for the remainder of the game.

Think of solitaire openings like the first moves in chess. While no single move wins or loses the game on its own, the right opening move creates an advantage that compounds with each subsequent play. The difference between a player who thinks carefully about their first moves and one who plays randomly is often the difference between consistent wins and frustrating losses.

This guide focuses primarily on Klondike solitaire openings since it is the most popular variation. If you need a refresher on how Klondike works, see our guide on how to play Klondike solitaire. Many of these principles also apply to other column-based games like Yukon and Spider.

Scan Before You Move

The most important opening strategy is not actually a move at all. Before touching any card, take ten to fifteen seconds to scan the entire tableau. This initial assessment helps you identify the best available opening sequence rather than making a suboptimal first move that you notice only after committing.

During your scan, look for several things. First, identify any Aces and Twos that are immediately available. Second, note which columns have face-up cards that could be moved to create useful sequences. Third, look for potential chain reactions where moving one card leads to another move, then another.

Pay attention to which suits have their Aces visible and which have them buried. If the Ace of spades is face-up on column one but the Ace of hearts is presumably deep in column seven, you know that the spades foundation will get started quickly while hearts may take time. This information shapes your opening priorities.

Also scan for Kings near the top of columns. A King in column one or two, sitting on only one or two face-down cards, may not need an empty column anytime soon. But a King buried deep in column six could be a problem. Identifying these positional features before your first move gives you a strategic roadmap.

Move Aces and Twos to Foundations Immediately

Your opening sequence should almost always begin by moving any visible Aces to the foundation piles. This is one of the few universally agreed-upon solitaire strategies. Aces cannot serve as building targets in the tableau since no card can legally be placed on top of them in a descending sequence. Moving them to the foundation is pure gain with no strategic cost.

Follow up by moving any available Twos to the foundation if their corresponding Ace is already there. Like Aces, Twos provide minimal tableau value. A Two on the foundation opens up the Three of the same suit to be played later, accelerating your foundation building.

If multiple Aces are visible, move them all before proceeding to other moves. The order in which you play multiple Aces rarely matters, but some experienced players prefer to play Aces that uncover face-down cards first, gaining the additional benefit of revealing new information.

After clearing Aces and Twos, resist the urge to immediately play higher cards to the foundation. Threes and above require more careful consideration, as discussed in our main strategy guide.

Prioritize Moves That Uncover Face-Down Cards

After handling any available Aces and Twos, your next priority should be moves that reveal face-down cards. This is the single most important opening principle in Klondike solitaire.

When you have multiple possible moves, always prefer the one that flips a face-down card. If two moves would both flip face-down cards, prefer the move that flips a card in a column with more hidden cards. Column seven, with six face-down cards, has the most hidden potential. Any move that uncovers a card in that column is typically more valuable than one that uncovers a card in column three, which only has two hidden cards.

Consider this example: you could move a red 7 from column three onto a black 8 in column five, or move a red 7 from column six onto the same black 8. Both moves are legal and appear equivalent. But if column six has five face-down cards and column three has only two, the move from column six is significantly better because it reveals a card in a deeper, more information-rich column.

This principle extends to multi-card moves in your opening. If you can create a sequence of moves that uncovers two face-down cards instead of one, that sequence is usually worth pursuing even if individual moves within it seem suboptimal in isolation. The information gained from uncovering hidden cards is the most valuable currency in solitaire.

Building Strategic Tableau Sequences

After addressing Aces and uncovering face-down cards, focus on building useful tableau sequences. Not all sequences are equally valuable, and understanding which ones to prioritize in the opening gives you a significant advantage.

Build sequences that consolidate cards from multiple columns. Moving a card from one column to another is most valuable when it both frees up the source column and extends a useful sequence in the destination column. One move that accomplishes two objectives is always better than a move that only accomplishes one.

Prefer building on higher-ranked cards. A sequence starting with a King has room for twelve more cards. A sequence starting with a 6 has room for only five. Longer potential sequences give you more flexibility as the game develops.

Watch for color balance. In the opening, try to create sequences in both color patterns. If all your early moves build red-on-black sequences, you may find yourself unable to play black-on-red sequences later. Maintaining balance ensures you have valid destinations for cards of every color.

Avoid creating deep same-suit columns. If you build a long sequence in one column while leaving others short, you create an imbalance that limits future moves. Spread your building across multiple columns when possible.

Opening Mistakes to Avoid

Certain opening moves seem reasonable but actually harm your chances of winning. Recognizing and avoiding these pitfalls from the start gives you a significant edge. Our full article on common solitaire mistakes to avoid covers mistakes at every stage.

Do not move a King to an empty column early in the game. In the opening, empty columns are rare and extremely valuable. Filling one with a King eliminates the flexibility that empty column provides. Unless moving a King uncovers critical face-down cards, wait.

Do not draw from the stock before exhausting tableau moves. New players often draw from the stock too early, before fully exploring the possibilities in the initial tableau. Completely scan and execute all beneficial tableau moves before turning to the stock.

Do not build long sequences that bury needed cards. Before building a long tableau sequence, check that the cards being buried are not needed elsewhere. Placing a 5, 4, 3, 2 sequence on a 6 is great, but not if the 4 was the only available card to continue another critical sequence.

Do not play Threes to the foundation automatically. Unlike Aces and Twos, Threes have some tableau value. A 3 can serve as a building target for a 2 in the tableau. Evaluate whether the 3 is more useful in the tableau or on the foundation before moving it.

Adapting Your Opening to the Deal

No two solitaire deals are the same, and rigid adherence to any set of rules can be counterproductive. The best players adapt their opening strategy based on the specific cards they see.

When the deal is open (many useful face-up cards), play aggressively. Make moves that create long sequences and uncover many face-down cards quickly. Favorable deals reward bold play.

When the deal is tight (few useful face-up cards), play conservatively. Focus on small gains and avoid moves that might close off future options. Tight deals require patience and careful stock management.

When you see complementary cards across columns, look for multi-move sequences. Sometimes the best opening is a chain of three or four moves that rearranges the entire tableau, rather than a single isolated move.

When high cards dominate the face-up positions, prepare for a longer game. High face-up cards mean your tableau building starts high, and it will take more moves to reach the Aces and low cards buried beneath.

Learning to read the deal and adjust your strategy accordingly is an advanced solitaire skill that develops over time with practice and experience.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the single best first move in solitaire?

If an Ace is showing, moving it to the foundation is always the correct first move. If no Ace is visible, the best first move is the one that uncovers a face-down card in the column with the most hidden cards. There is no universally best first move because it depends entirely on the specific deal.

Q: Should I always scan the whole tableau before making my first move?

Yes. Taking a few seconds to survey the entire layout before making any moves almost always leads to better decisions. Rushing into the first move you see without considering alternatives is one of the most common beginner mistakes.

Q: How many moves ahead should I plan in the opening?

Try to plan at least two to three moves ahead in the opening. Look for sequences where one move enables another, creating a chain reaction of productive plays. As you gain experience, you will naturally plan further ahead.

Q: Does the opening matter more in draw-one or draw-three solitaire?

The opening matters more in draw-three because stock accessibility is more restricted. In draw-one, the stock provides a safety net since every card is individually accessible. In draw-three, suboptimal opening moves have a greater chance of creating problems that the stock cannot easily solve.

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💡 Expert Strategy Update (2026)

When managing high-difficulty tables, focus on sequence preservation and stock-cycle control. Prioritize revealing face-down cards in the longest columns before promotion to foundations to maximize structural space.