Solitaire Scoring Explained: Standard, Vegas & More
How does solitaire scoring actually work? We explain the scoring systems for Klondike (standard and Vegas), Spider, FreeCell, and every other major variant.
Why Scoring Matters
Solitaire scoring adds an extra dimension beyond simply winning or losing. Two players who both win the same game can compare scores to determine who played more efficiently. Scoring rewards not just completing the game, but completing it well.
Klondike Standard Scoring
The classic Klondike scoring system works as follows:
- Waste to Tableau: +5 points
- Waste to Foundation: +10 points
- Tableau to Foundation: +10 points
- Foundation to Tableau: -15 points (penalty for moving cards back)
- Turning over a tableau card: +5 points
In Draw One mode, there is a -100 penalty after the first pass through the stock. In Draw Three, each stock recycle costs -20 points.
A perfect game with efficient play typically scores 700-750 points. Scores above 600 are considered good.
Vegas Scoring
Vegas scoring simulates a casino-style wager. You "pay" $52 to play (one dollar per card), and earn $5 for each card moved to a foundation. You need to move at least 11 cards to foundations to break even.
In Vegas mode, only foundation moves earn money. Tableau rearrangement does not count. This makes Vegas scoring more straightforward but also more punishing — you cannot earn points through clever tableau management.
A maximum Vegas score is $208 (all 52 cards at $5 each, minus the $52 buy-in = +$208).
Spider Scoring
Spider Solitaire uses a simple scoring system:
- Starting score: 500 points
- Each move: -1 point
- Completed K-to-A sequence: +100 points
The maximum possible score is 500 + 800 (eight sequences) = 1,300, minus the minimum number of moves needed. In practice, good scores are 500-700 for one-suit and 300-500 for four-suit.
The move penalty encourages efficient play. Making 50 unnecessary moves costs 50 points, which can be the difference between a good and great score.
FreeCell Scoring
FreeCell scoring varies by implementation. Many versions simply track whether you won and how quickly. Time-based scoring rewards faster completion.
Some versions award points for each card moved to foundations (similar to Klondike), with bonuses for completing the game quickly.
Pyramid Scoring
In Pyramid, scoring typically reflects how many cards you removed from the pyramid. Since clearing all 28 cards is relatively rare (about 2% of deals), partial scores measure how close you got.
- Each pair removed: +10 points
- King removed: +10 points
- Clearing the entire pyramid: +500 bonus
Golf Scoring
Golf uses the simplest scoring in solitaire: your score is the number of cards remaining in the tableau when the game ends. Lower is better, and zero (clearing the board) is a perfect score.
Some versions add streak bonuses for playing multiple cards in a row without drawing from stock, similar to TriPeaks.
TriPeaks Scoring
TriPeaks uses streak-based scoring that rewards long chains:
- 1st card in chain: +1 point
- 2nd card: +2 points
- 3rd card: +3 points
- And so on...
Drawing from stock resets the streak counter. This system heavily rewards finding and executing long chains rather than just clearing cards individually. A 10-card chain is worth 55 points (1+2+3+...+10), compared to 10 points for clearing the same cards individually.
Tips for Better Scores
Regardless of variant, efficient play yields better scores. Minimize unnecessary moves, plan ahead to avoid backtracking, and look for ways to chain multiple productive moves in sequence.
In scored games, resist the urge to make a move just because you can. Sometimes waiting for a better opportunity leads to a more efficient solution with a higher score.
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