Decks

HomeGames › TriPeaks Solitaire — rules and strategy

TriPeaks Solitaire: three peaks, one chain

TriPeaks is the fast one. Twenty-eight cards stand in three overlapping peaks; you clear them by taking cards one rank above or below the top of the waste, in a chain as long as you can keep it going. A round takes a couple of minutes, and the difference between a win and a loss is usually one decision about which of two equal cards to take.

TriPeaks in two minutes a round, every deal proven clearable. Free on the App Store.

Download on the App Store
Scan with your phone to installScan with your phone to install

Rules of TriPeaks

The layout. Twenty-eight cards in three peaks: three cards on top, then rows of six, nine and ten, each row overlapping the one above. The bottom row of ten is face up; the rest are face down. The remaining twenty-four cards form the stock, and the first stock card is turned onto the waste to start.

Availability. A card is available while no card of the row below covers it. A face-down card turns over when both cards covering it are gone.

Moves. Take an available card onto the waste if its rank is one above or one below the waste's top card, regardless of suit. King and ace are neighbours — the chain wraps around.

The stock. Out of moves, turn a card from the stock. There is one pass: the stock is not dealt again.

Winning. Clear all three peaks. Cards left in the stock do not matter.

Are TriPeaks deals winnable?

Every TriPeaks deal in Decks is drawn from a pool of deals that a bot has actually cleared, with the win replayed by the engine. In our measurement the bot won 51% of 2,000 deals — a floor; only proven deals are dealt. Numbers for other games: Is every solitaire deal winnable?.

Strategy

  1. Long chains beat short ones. Each stock card is precious with only one pass. Before taking a card, look for the longest run of ups and downs available from it.
  2. Uncover face-down cards early. A hidden card is unknown; two hidden cards under a pair of available ones are the real target of a move.
  3. Work all three peaks. Clearing one peak completely while the other two stay tall usually leaves you with no chain at the end. Aim to lower all three together.
  4. Choose between equals by what they uncover. Two available eights? Take the one whose removal turns a card over.
  5. Save the stock. Turning a stock card is a last resort, not a habit. Count how many are left.
  6. Use the wrap. King to ace to two is a legal chain; players who forget it leave wins on the table.

TriPeaks in Decks

A rules page one tap away, undo without penalty, and a history of every round with its deal code. No ads, no account, works offline.

Frequently asked questions

How do you play TriPeaks? Move available cards to the waste one rank up or down from its top card; turn the stock when stuck; clear all three peaks.

Do king and ace connect? Yes. King, ace, two is a valid chain in both directions.

How many cards are in the stock? Twenty-four, one pass only.

What is the difference between TriPeaks and Golf? The layout — three peaks against seven flat columns — and the wrap: in TriPeaks king and ace are neighbours, in Golf the king is a dead end.

TriPeaks in two minutes a round, every deal proven clearable. Free on the App Store.

Download on the App Store
Scan with your phone to installScan with your phone to install