Pyramid Solitaire, as with all solitaire games, is a card game designed to be played by one person. Also as in most solitaire games, the object is for the player to use of all of the cards in the hand.
Pyramid Solitaire Setup
In the traditional game, 28 cards are dealt out on the table, face up, in the form of a pyramid. Dealing begins with one top card, then two cards placed directly underneath that card, slightly covering the top card, then three cards dealt directly underneath that row, slightly covering the previous row. Dealing continues until 28 cards have been dealt out and there is a row of seven cards on the bottom row. The remaining cards are set on the table, face down, to form the draw pile.
Playing Traditional Pyramid Solitaire
The player begins the play by selecting two exposed cards that equal 13 in value and removing them from the pile. A King is worth 13 points, the Queen is worth 12 points, the Jack is worth 11 points, the Ace is worth 1 point and the rest of the cards are taken at face value.
An example of an acceptable play is if there is a 6 and a 7 located on the bottom row (exposed cards – those that do not have any cards positioned on them) then those cards can be removed and set aside in a discard pile. Each meld must be made using no more than two cards, and the only time one card may be used is in the case of a King.
Play continues using exposed cards until no more matches can be made, then cards are turned over one at a time and used or covered by the next turn card. The goal is to pair up the entire deck of cards and have all of the cards used. When this is accomplished, the player has successfully completed the game.
Playing Online Variations of Pyramid Solitaire
There are many websites that feature free versions of Pyramid Solitaire including those versions made available on Facebook by the Game Show Network, LLC. Anyone with a Facebook account can play these games for free. Their offerings include Pyramid Solitaire, Pyramid Solitaire: Ancient Egypt and another variation of the pyramid solitaire game, Tri Peaks Solitaire.
Playing these games varies somewhat from the traditional play, but they bring extra challenges and new and unique ways of scoring and winning the games.
In Pyramid Solitaire: Ancient Egypt, when cards are turned up they are done so three at a time, forming three draw piles at the bottom of the board to use as needed. When new cards are turned up, they are placed, one on top of each pile, covering the cards below, making them unusable until they are uncovered. There is also one temporary card pile that can be used for temporarily holding one card of the player's choosing to be used when the player is ready.
Each game is scored, which allows players to challenge themselves to beat their own score or to challenge Facebook friends to try and beat their scores.
Robin Lewis - A Graphic Designer by day, artist, writer, gardener and researcher by night, Robin "Bodecoa" is eclectic, artistic and on an endless ...
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