Short description

Freecell is an "open" solitaire, so-called because all of the cards are visible at the start of a game.
Only the top (exposed) card of each tableau pile is available for play. It may be moved to a foundation pile, a free cell, or to another tableau pile. Within the tableau, cards are built down in sequence and alternating in color. Any card may be moved into an empty space. If you fill all four foundation piles, you win.
 

Basic Play

The rules are quite similar to common solitaire rules. The object is to get all the cards moved up onto the ace piles at the top right of the screen. This is accomplished by moving cards from the main stacks onto other cards, into the "free cells" in the upper left on the screen, or by moving cards directly up onto the ace piles.

You start a move when you indicate a source by clicking on it with your mouse. A small "star" will appear under the card you have selected. You then indicate the desired destination by pointing and clicking again.

As in common solitaire, cards may be placed on cards of opposite color and one higher in rank. Thus a two of diamonds my be placed on a three of clubs or on a three of spades. A jack of spades may be placed on a red queen, either the queen of diamonds or the queen of hearts. Kings may be placed only on open columns or in free cells (discussed next).

The area where FreeCell differs from regular solitaire is that four "free cells" are provided as temporary storage locations for cards. You may move any card from the bottom of a stack to an open cell.