FreeCell Strategy: 8 Tips to Win More Deals
These tips assume you know the rules. FreeCell is a planning game: almost every deal can be won, so a loss usually means an early mistake rather than bad luck.
1. Look before you move
Before the first move, find the Aces and 2s and note how deep they're buried. The columns that hide them are where your first moves should go.
2. Keep free cells free
Free cells are your most flexible resource, and also your most dangerous one: a full set of free cells usually means the game is lost. Use a cell only when it achieves something specific, such as freeing an Ace or emptying a column.
3. Empty a column early
An empty column is worth more than a free cell: it doubles the number of cards you can move at once. Aim for the shortest column with the most useful cards and clear it.
4. Don't fill an empty column with a single card
Putting one card in an empty column wastes it. Try to move a whole sequence there, or a King that will start a useful one.
5. Build long sequences, carefully
Building down in alternating colours lets you move whole runs later. But a long sequence on top of a low card buries that card. Before you build on a column, ask whether you'll need what's underneath soon.
6. Count your super-move capacity
The number of cards you can move at once is (free cells + 1) × 2empty columns. Before starting a sequence, check that you'll be able to move it where you need it. With 2 free cells and 1 empty column you can move 6 cards, but only 3 into that empty column.
7. Watch the foundation balance
Moving cards to the foundation too fast can strand opposite-colour cards. A red 5 might be the only place for a black 4. kawu's automatic moves only take cards that can never be needed in the tableau.
8. Use undo to explore
FreeCell has no hidden cards, so undo isn't cheating: it's how you test a plan. Try a line, undo if it leads nowhere, and try another. When you're stuck, the Hint button asks a solver for the next move of a winning line.
Practise on numbered deals
- Game 1 is a gentle start.
- Try a few deals in a row by number to see different starting positions.
- Game 11982 can't be won. The solver proves it by checking every possible position, so don't spend an evening on it.
Frequently asked questions
What's more valuable, a free cell or an empty column?
An empty column. It doubles the number of cards you can move at once, while an extra free cell only adds one.
Should I always move cards to the foundation?
Usually, but not always. A low card can still be useful in the tableau to hold an opposite-colour card one lower. kawu only moves cards automatically when it's safe.
Last updated 2026-10-17