Play Baker's Dozen Solitaire Online for Free (No Signup Required)

Thirteen piles lie face-up with every King tucked safely at the bottom. Out-plan the deck and match a friendly 50% win rate.

Baker's Dozen Solitaire takes its name from the thirteen tableau piles that hold the entire deck — a wink at the old bakers' habit of adding a thirteenth loaf to a dozen. It is a longtime favorite among traditional single-deck patiences and has appeared in card game anthologies since the early twentieth century.

Every card is dealt face-up, so nothing is hidden and there is no stock to fall back on. The deal grants one act of mercy: any King is tucked at the bottom of its pile, so it can never trap the cards beneath it. From there the challenge is pure planning — piles build down regardless of suit, only one card moves at a time, and a pile once emptied stays empty.

The game is moderately difficult, and a single deck is all it takes to play. About 50% of deals end in a win, and that's mostly down to skill rather than luck.

Alternate this with Spanish Solitaire or Good Measure Solitaire for a change of pace.

When you want fewer piles to track, the classic Solitaire is the simpler choice.

If you run into anything odd or have an idea that would make the game better, please contact me.

Enjoy playing!

How to play Baker's Dozen Solitaire

Layout:

4 foundation piles: Build up in suit from Ace to King.

13 tableau piles: Build down regardless of suit, arranged in two rows of seven and six. Only the top card of each pile may be moved, and empty spaces may not be filled. Each pile is dealt four cards at the start of the game, with any Kings tucked at the bottom of their pile.

Foundation:

There are four foundation piles.

A card can be added to a foundation pile only if it's one rank higher and the same suit as the pile's current top card, starting from the Ace, so the only card that fits on an 8 of spades is a 9 of spades. There can be no more than 13 cards in a pile.

The top card of each foundation can be moved back into play if another pile will accept it.

Tableau:

Thirteen tableau piles of four cards each — seven in the upper row and six in the lower row — all dealt face-up. During the deal, any King is slipped underneath its pile, so no King ever blocks the cards below it.

A card can be added to a tableau pile only if it's one rank lower than the pile's current top card, regardless of suit, so the cards that fit on an 8 of spades are the four 7s.

Cards on the tableau that are not covered by another card are free to be played onto the foundation or any other tableau pile.

Empty tableau spots may not be filled. Once a pile has been cleared, it stays empty for the rest of the game.

Only one card may be moved at a time; sequences are not permitted.