Your goal is to discard 48 cards, leaving only the four Aces on the tableau.
Four cards are dealt face-up in a row, forming four tableau piles.
If the King of Hearts and 9 of Hearts are both showing on different piles, you can remove the 9 of Hearts (since King is higher).
You win when all cards have been discarded except for the four Aces. This happens roughly 1 in 43 games with optimal play!
You've successfully completed Aces Up Solitaire!
Time: 00:00
Moves: 0
Try to discard all cards except for the four Aces.
Hey there! Aces Up (also known as Idiot's Delight) is deceptively simple, but winning is quite challenging - only about 1 in 43 games is winnable with perfect play! Let me share some strategies that have helped me improve my win rate.
Aces Up, also known by less flattering names like Idiot's Delight or Firing Squad, is a fast-paced and deceptively simple solitaire card game. Unlike building games like Klondike, Aces Up is a discarding game where the primary goal is to remove cards from the tableau, aiming to leave only the four aces at the end.
The game's rules were first documented in England around 1900 by Mary Whitmore Jones under the name "Drivel Patience". While she acknowledged the name wasn't complimentary, it reflected the perceived lack of deep strategy compared to other patience games of the time. Over the years, it gained various names, with "Aces Up" becoming the most common, highlighting the goal of keeping the aces high and safe.
The game starts with four cards dealt face-up into four tableau piles. The core mechanic involves comparing the top cards of the piles. If two or more cards share the same suit, you discard all but the highest-ranking card of that suit (Ace is high). Empty tableau spots are valuable and can be filled with the top card from any other pile. When no more discards or moves are possible, you deal four new cards from the stock, one onto each pile, and repeat the process.
Despite its simple rules, winning Aces Up is surprisingly challenging. Success often depends heavily on the luck of the deal and making strategic decisions about when to fill empty spaces. With optimal play, the odds of winning are estimated to be around 1 in 43 games, making each victory feel like a real accomplishment!
