Tri-Peaks Solitaire Tips: How to Clear All Three Peaks

Tri-peaks solitaire is a card game where you clear three peaks of cards by playing cards that are one number higher or lower. It is easy to learn, and a few good habits make it much easier to win. Here are the rules and the tips that help most: planning chains, drawing wisely and handling hidden cards.

How it works

The cards are laid out in three overlapping peaks. A card is free when no other card covers it. Next to the peaks sit a draw pile and a discard pile. You can play a free card on the discard pile if its number is exactly one higher or one lower than the top card of that pile.

In our version, 13 and 1 follow each other as well, and the two numbers you can play are written above the discard pile. When no free card fits, you tap the draw pile to turn a new card. You win by clearing every card from the peaks, and you lose if the draw pile is empty and no move is left.

Check the two numbers every turn

Before each move, look at the two playable numbers. A free card with either one can go. It sounds obvious, but it is easy to miss a card at the edge of the table, especially on a small screen.

If you have a choice between the two numbers, do not just pick the first one you see. Look at which one leads to the next card. That is where the planning begins.

Plan a chain before you play

A chain is a row of cards played one after another without drawing. Long chains are the heart of the game. Suppose the discard is a 6. You could play a 5 or a 7. If you can also see a 4, playing the 5 then the 4 makes a nice chain, while the 7 might lead nowhere.

Trace the path in your head before you touch a card: which card comes next, and the one after that? The more steps you see, the less you will need to draw.

Draw only when you must

The draw pile is your safety net, and every card in it is precious. If you draw too early, you may be stuck at the end with nothing left. Draw only when no free card fits.

In our game, playing several cards without drawing also builds a streak, which earns you more coins. So long chains help you win and score at the same time.

Uncover hidden cards

Some cards lie face down. They turn over only when nothing covers them. Playing the cards that cover them first gives you more choices, so aim for the places where the most cards are stacked.

When two moves look equal, pick the one that frees a covered card. A new card on the table means a new number you can use, and a better chance that the chain goes on.

Padlocks, keys and helpers

From level 4 in our game, some cards are padlocked. A padlocked card cannot leave until you play the key card, which has a golden edge. Look for the key early, and plan the chain that reaches it.

You also get two helpers in each level: one undoes your last move, and the other puts a joker on the discard pile, where any card fits. Use them when you are really stuck, not at the first problem. Each helper you use costs you a star, so you get three stars only if you use none.

Try our tri-peaks solitaire game

In Treasure Cards, Captain Coco, a pirate parrot, lays out his cards in three peaks on his ship. The numbers are big and easy to read, and every deal can be won. Clear the peaks before the draw pile runs out to earn up to three stars.