What is the Waste Pile in Solitaire?
Waste Pile
The face-up pile where cards from the stock are placed after being drawn. Only the top card of the waste pile can be moved to the tableau or foundation.
How the Waste Pile Works
- When you click the stock pile, cards flip to the waste pile
- The top card is always available to play
- Cards underneath are "buried" until the top card moves
- When stock is empty, the waste pile recycles back to stock
Example
You draw 3 cards and see: 4♥, 7♠, J♦ (Jack on top). You can only play the Jack. If you play it, the 7♠ becomes available. If you can't use the Jack, draw again - those cards get buried under new draws.
Waste Pile Strategy
Managing the waste pile is crucial for winning:
- Remember buried cards - Know what's coming when you recycle
- Time your moves - Sometimes wait to play a card so you can access one beneath it
- Count cycles - In strict rules, you may only go through the stock 1-3 times
Also Known As
The waste pile goes by several names:
- Talon - Common in traditional Solitaire terminology
- Discard pile - Though this can cause confusion
- Draw pile output - Descriptive but less common