Play Opus Solitaire Online for Free (No Signup Required)

Only five cells back up this same-suit tableau, two fewer than cousin Penguin's seven, and just a 10% win rate rewards careful, skillful play.

Opus Solitaire plays like a tighter cousin of Penguin: both dig through a same-suit tableau with cells to help you, but Opus gives you only five cells against Penguin's seven. Two fewer places to park a card make Opus the harder game of the pair.

Confusingly, Solsuite uses the name "Opus" for a completely different game, so don't mix the two up. This one is tough: a single deck, a 10% chance of winning, and results that lean more on skill than luck.

Other cell-based games worth trying include Penguin Solitaire, Eight Off Solitaire, and FreeCell.

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

Enjoy playing!

How to play Opus Solitaire

Layout:

4 foundation piles: Foundations build up in suit, wrapping from King back to Ace as needed, until each pile holds 13 cards. Three of the four foundations start with a card already dealt; the fourth begins empty.

5 cells: Each cell holds a single card, which can be played back to the foundations or the tableau at any time.

7 tableau piles: Build down in the same suit. A group of cards in suit sequence can move together if there are enough open cells and empty columns to support the move. An empty column can't be refilled, so think before you clear one. At the start of the game each pile is dealt seven cards, all face-up.

Foundation:

There are four foundation piles.

Three of the four foundation piles are dealt one starting card each, and they land on different ranks, so each pile climbs its own ladder. The fourth foundation starts empty.

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, so the only card that fits on a J of clubs is a Q of clubs.

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

Cells:

Five cells, all empty at the start of the game.

Any available card can be played into an open cell, one card per cell. Cards in a cell can be played back to the tableau or a foundation.

Tableau:

Seven tableau piles of seven cards each, all dealt face-up.

A card can be added to a tableau pile only if it's one rank lower and the same suit as the pile's current top card, so the only card that fits on a 5 of hearts is a 4 of hearts.

Cards on the tableau that are not covered by another card can be played onto the foundation, an empty cell, or any other tableau pile.

An empty tableau space can't be refilled once it's cleared.

If all cards in a run are of the same suit, that whole group may be moved from one tableau column to another, provided enough open cells and empty columns are free to support the move.