What is the Win Rate for Klondike Solitaire (Turn 1)?
43-52% Win Rate
Klondike Turn 1 Solitaire (also called Draw 1) has one of the highest win rates among Solitaire variants, making it the recommended starting point for new players.
Why Turn 1 Has Higher Win Rates
Drawing one card at a time gives you access to every card in the stock pile, compared to Turn 3 where only every third card is immediately accessible:
- Full access: Every card in the stock can be played when it appears
- Strategic control: More options for planning your moves
- Unlimited passes: Most versions allow cycling through the deck multiple times
Fun Fact
Mathematician Persi Diaconis called the inability to calculate exact Klondike win odds "one of the embarrassments of applied probability." Despite being studied for decades, the exact winning probability remains unknown.
Factors That Affect Win Rate
Your actual win rate depends on several factors:
- Skill level: Beginners win ~30-35%, experienced players reach 45-52%
- Deal quality: Some shuffles create mathematically unwinnable games (~18%)
- Strategy: Knowing when NOT to move cards to foundations improves outcomes
Tips to Improve Your Win Rate
- Prioritize revealing face-down cards in the tableau over building foundations
- Don't automatically move cards to foundations—keeping cards accessible can create more moves
- Empty columns are valuable—save them for Kings that will reveal hidden cards
How Does This Compare to Other Variants?
| Variant | Win Rate | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|
| Klondike Turn 1 | 43-52% | Medium |
| Klondike Turn 3 | 18-35% | Hard |
| Yukon | 25-30% | Medium-Hard |
| Forty Thieves | 10% | Very Hard |