Solitaire is one of the most popular card games worldwide, and now it is available in many different variants. If you would like to try out something more challenging than the regular version, Tri Peaks Solitaire can be an interesting suggestion.
It combines the simplicity of Classic Solitaire with a completely different layout, which will be an intriguing change and provide lots of entertainment and mind stimulation.
So, how to play Tri Peaks Solitaire? Keep on reading to learn more about this fascinating Solitaire game!
The History of Tri Peaks Solitaire
Tri Peaks Solitaire is a relatively new game invented in 1989 by a software engineer named Robert Hogue. His innovative design was a fresh take on Solitaire that combined elements from different card games, most notably Golf Solitaire. The unique layout resembling three mountain peaks, from which the game gets its name, immediately sets it apart from other Solitaire variations.
Hogue’s aim was to create a game that was simple to learn but challenging enough to keep players engaged. It appeared in Windows Entertainment Pack 3, and then it was finally included as a standard element of the Microsoft Solitaire Collection.
How to Play Tri Peaks Solitaire?
Here are the basic Tri Peaks Solitaire rules you should learn before you start playing the game:
Objective
In order to win the game, you need to clear the tableau by matching the top card from the waste pile with a card from the tableau with one rank lower or higher. You don’t have to pay attention to the suit, as it is allowed to match cards of both the same and opposite colors.
Setup
- Tableau: In Tri Peaks Solitaire, you play with a standard 52-card deck, just like in the traditional Klondike Solitaire. However, they are arranged in a completely different way than in the classic game. At the beginning, 18 cards face up and form three overlapping peaks resembling mountains or pyramids. There are six cards in each peak, and every top card is completely exposed, while the lower ones are partially covered by the cards above. Only the bottom cards are face-up and available to be played.
- Stockpile and the Waste Pile: The rest of the cards from the deck are put face-down to create a stockpile. The top card from it is flipped over and forms the waste pile.
Rules
- Playing only face-up cards: Not every card can be used at any moment in the game. You can only play the cards that are not overlapped by other cards and are turned face-up.
- Pairing cards: It is only allowed to match a top waste pile card with a tableau card that is one rank lower or higher. For instance, you can pair a ten of spades from the waste pile only with a nine or a jack of any suit visible in the tableau. The matched tableau card is moved to the top of your waste pile and now you need to find a match for this card.
- No building sequences: Most solitaire varieties allow you to build sequences to get new opportunities for moving cards. Tri Peaks Solitaire rules forbid you from that – you can only make moves by matching cards from the tableau with the top card from the waste pile.
- Going through the stockpile once: As you may expect, pairing the top waste pile card with a tableau card is not always possible. In such a situation, you can use the stockpile to uncover a new waste pile card. However, so as not to make the game too easy, you are allowed to go through the whole stockpile only once, so do it wisely and only if absolutely necessary!
- No filling empty spaces: It may be tempting to save a card from the waste pile for later, but in Tri Peaks Solitaire, you are not allowed to fill the spaces that free up after matching cards. You can only use the tableau as it is without moving or storing cards in it.
Tri Peaks Solitaire Variants and Similar Games
If you already know how to play Tri Peaks Solitaire and enjoy it, you may also be interested in trying out the following games:
Four Peaks Solitaire
Four Peaks Solitaire expands on the classic Tri Peaks setup by adding an additional peak. The gameplay remains the same, requiring you to remove cards that are one rank higher or lower, but the extra peak makes the game slightly longer and more challenging.
Players must plan their moves even more carefully to ensure they can clear all four peaks while effectively managing the stockpile.
Golf Solitaire
Golf Solitaire is one of the most closely related games to Tri Peaks Solitaire. In both of them, you need to remove cards that are one rank higher or lower than the current card. However, instead of the three “peaks” of cards, Golf Solitaire has a simple card layout with seven rows of overlapping cards.
The aim is to clear all the cards from the tableau, just like in Tri Peaks, but the layout and absence of peaks create a simpler structure. The gameplay is similar in pace and strategy, but the layout makes Golf Solitaire more suitable for beginners.
Pyramid Solitaire
Pyramid Solitaire is similar to Tri Peaks in that the objective is to remove cards and clear the tableau. However, the cards are arranged in a pyramid shape, and instead of matching cards one rank higher or lower, players must pair cards that add up to 13.
While both games challenge players to uncover hidden cards strategically, Pyramid Solitaire requires an additional level of arithmetic to clear cards.
Castle Solitaire
Castle Solitaire requires a similar strategy to Tri Peaks but with a different tableau setup. Here, the cards are laid out in columns resembling castle walls. Like in Tri Peaks, players remove cards by matching those that rank higher or lower.
However, Castle Solitaire tends to have more cards in play and provides fewer obvious moves early on.
The Final Note
Overall, Tri Peaks Solitaire is an interesting modification of the game, and it is definitely worth trying out. Its rules are quite simple to learn, so you will probably understand them very quickly and enjoy this mind-stimulating game in no time.
On our website, you can try out Tri Peaks Solitaire for free and without registration. It can be a great way to kill boredom and exercise your brain while you’re on a train or bus, in a waiting room, or simply relaxing at home. our app on your mobile device and play Tri Peaks Solitaire wherever you are!