Pyramid Solitaire

Pyramid Solitaire

Another game my students can't seem to get enough of is Pyramid Solitaire. You can find this game to play for free on the internet, but there's something about actually holding and shuffling cards that my students like too. All cards in the deck are used for this game.

As the tutor, I sit back and watch them play. I learn volumes about their ability to add quickly and it also tells me a little about if they understand that numbers are flexible.

Set Up:

Shuffle the cards and deal cards to form a pyramid, starting with a row of 1 card, followed by a row of two cards, etc., down to a row of 7 cards. Each row should overlap the previous one. The pyramid will include a total of 28 cards when complete. The remaining cards are set on the table face down to form the draw pile.

Gameplay:

Reveal cards from the draw pile, one at a time. If a card from the draw pile is not used, it should be covered up by the next card from the draw pile. It can be used later in the game, but only if it gets uncovered because any draw pile cards on top of it are able to be discarded. When two exposed cards total 13, they can be discarded. (This is the reason that Pyramid Solitaire is sometimes referred to as Solitaire 13.) NOTE: Discarding is always optional, and there may be times when it is a better tactical choice not to discard. Cards in the pyramid are "exposed" if no cards are overlapping them. Only one card from the draw pile is "exposed" at any given time in the game (i.e. the most recent draw pile card to be turned up is the only card from the draw pile that's "exposed"). EXAMPLES: If a 9 and a 4 are both exposed in the pyramid, they can be discarded. If a 5 is exposed in the pyramid and an 8 is exposed after being turned up from the draw pile, they can be discarded. Card Values Aces are worth 1; Jacks are worth 11, Queens are worth 12. Kings are worth 13 and can be discarded as a single card.

Draw Pile Option:

Instead of revealing cards from the draw pile one at a time, reveal them in sets of three. The first set of three is laid on the table to start three distinct piles. When future draws are made, the three new cards are spread over these three piles. The order in which cards are placed on the piles should remain constant throughout the game. Winning The game ends when all of the cards have been removed from the pyramid or when the draw pile has been exhausted, whichever happens first. If all of the cards are removed from the pyramid, you win. To play online, here is a link to an online version.