# Play TriPeaks solitaire

TriPeaks is a fast, flowing patience game: three peaks of cards stand over a single waste pile, and you clear them by playing cards one rank higher or lower than the waste card. Kings and Aces count as neighbours, so a run can keep going round the corner. [Deal TriPeaks now](../index.html?game=tripeaks#play) and play it free on this page, with no account needed.

A round in progress is saved automatically in your browser, and TriPeaks keeps its own statistics: rounds played, rounds won, best time and fewest moves for wins.

## How to win

Clear all 28 peak cards. The stock does not need to be used up: once the last peak card has gone to the waste, the round is won.

## Rules

### The layout

- One 52-card deck is used.
- 28 cards form three peaks over four rows of 3, 6, 9 and 10 cards.
- The bottom row of 10 is face up. The other peak cards turn face up when no card covers them any more.
- One card starts the waste. The other 23 cards form the stock.

### Playing cards

- Move any face-up, uncovered peak card to the waste if it is exactly one rank higher or lower than the top waste card. Suits do not matter.
- Ranks wrap round: a King and an Ace are neighbours. On a King you may play a Queen or an Ace; on an Ace, a King or a 2.
- **Draw** turns the next stock card onto the waste. There is no recycling, so each stock card can only be drawn once.

### Chains

- A chain is the number of peak cards you play in a row without drawing.
- The longest chain of the round is shown.

### End of the round

- **Won:** all 28 peak cards cleared.
- **Lost:** the stock is empty and no peak card can be played.
- Starting a new deal mid-round counts the unfinished round as abandoned.

## Controls

- Tap or click an uncovered face-up card, then tap the waste; or drag the card onto the waste.
- **Draw** (`D`) turns the next stock card onto the waste.
- **Hint** (`H`) highlights one legal move without making it; **Auto move** (`A`) plays the move the hint would show.
- **Undo** (`U`) is unlimited, all the way back to the deal. **New deal** is `N`.
- On the keyboard, `Tab` moves between piles, `Enter` or `Space` selects and places, and `Esc` cancels a selection.

## Tips

1. **Look before you play.** When two cards could go on the waste, think about what follows each one. With an 8 on the waste and both a 7 and a 9 uncovered, check whether a 6 or a 10 is waiting further along; the side with the longer follow-up is usually the better choice.
2. **Prefer plays that turn cards face up.** Removing a card that is the last one covering a face-down card reveals new information and new options. If two plays are otherwise equal, pick the one that uncovers something.
3. **Every draw counts.** There are only 23 stock cards and no recycling. Draw only when no useful peak card can be played, and you will have more draws in hand for the end of the round, when the peaks get thin.
4. **Use the wrap.** Because ranks wrap, every rank has exactly two neighbours, and eight cards in the deck can go on any given waste card. A King on the waste is not a dead end: an Ace or a Queen will follow it.
5. **Work all three peaks.** The upper cards of each peak only turn over when the cards below them are cleared. Spreading your plays across the peaks keeps more face-up cards available for later.
6. **Aim for long chains.** The game shows the longest chain of each round, which makes a fun target beyond simply winning. Chains come naturally when you hold back the stock and plan sequences in advance.

The [strategy guide](../strategy.html) has more ideas for reading a layout, and the [games list](../games.html) shows everything else you can play.

## Related games

- [Golf](golf.html) uses the same one-up-or-down idea, but with no wrap between King and Ace.
- [Pyramid](pyramid.html) clears a triangle of cards by making pairs that add up to 13.
- [Higher or Lower](higher-or-lower.html) is a quick guessing game about card ranks, with Aces always low.