How to Play TriPeaks Solitaire – Rules & Strategy

Why TriPeaks? A Quick Origin Story

TriPeaks sits at the crossroads of Golf and Pyramid Solitaire. Invented in the mid‑1980s by Robert Hogue, it quickly became a PC favourite thanks to Microsoft Entertainment Pack. Unlike Golf, where all cards start face‑up, TriPeaks hides 21 cards under 7 face‑up “summits,” requiring forward planning to expose them. The three‑peak tableau gives players clear sub‑goals, and the ever‑growing streak counter turns every run into a dopamine‑rich mini‑speed‑run.

If Golf is a driving range and Pyramid is math class, TriPeaks is a scenic mountain trail—easy to start, deceptively demanding at altitude.

Objective

Clear all 28 tableau cards by playing them in ascending or descending sequence onto the waste.

Win fast, maintain huge streaks, and polish off each peak for a perfect 600‑point time bonus.

Setup 

• Build three peaks of cards:

  • Row 1: three face‑down cards form the base of each peak (total 9).
  • Row 2: two face‑down atop each prior pair (total 6).
  • Row 3: one face‑down atop each previous two (total 3).
  • Top row: three apex cards face‑up.
  • Bridge cards between peaks create a contiguous 28‑card tableau.

• Stock & Waste

  • Remaining 24 cards become the stock (face‑down).
  • Flip the top stock card face‑up; it starts the waste pile.

• Exposed Cards

  • Any card with no overlapping card is uncovered and therefore playable.

Tip: Visualise the layout as an “M” or “W”—clearing lower valleys frees two peaks at once.

Basic Moves 

• Play Sequence: Move an uncovered tableau card that is exactly one rank higher or lower than the waste top.
• Suit is irrelevant.
• Wrap‑around: King ↔ Ace counts as consecutive.
• After moving, the chosen card becomes the new waste top, potentially chaining the next move.
• If stuck: Click stock to flip the next waste card—but beware, your streak resets to zero.

Uncovering Cards

Each removed card may free one or two beneath it. Your mission: choreograph plays to reveal hidden cards while keeping the streak alive.

Winning 

• Victory: All 28 tableau cards gone.
• Fail: Stock empties while cards linger.

Scoring System 

TriPeaks rewards momentum.

1. Streak Points

• Base: 1 pt per card.
• Streak Bonus: +n pts where n = current streak length (starting at 1).
• Example run:
  • 1st card → 1 + 1 = 2
  • 2nd card → 1 + 2 = 3
  • 3rd card → 1 + 3 = 4
  • … 10th consecutive card nets 11 pts
• Breakers: Drawing from stock or pausing more than 3 s (optional timer mode) resets streak to zero.

2. Peak Bonuses

• Clear an entire peak: +15 pts (max 45 pts).
• Clear order doesn’t matter, but streak often survives longer if you tackle one peak end‑to‑end.

3. Time Bonus

• ≤ 30 s: +600 pts.
• 30 s – 10 min: bonus falls linearly to 0.
  • Rough rule: subtract 6 pts per extra second beyond 30 s.
• > 10 min or incomplete board: no time bonus.

4. Perfect Score Snapshot

• 24‑card streak clear under 28 s, all peaks bonus:
  • Card pts ≈ 300, peaks 45, time 600 → ~945 pts.
  • In practice, anything above 700 is superb.

Core Strategy & Tactics

1. Target the Valleys First

Removing low cards frees two flanking peaks simultaneously. A single 7 in the valley might unlock an 8 and 6 above—three moves for the cost of one.

2. Build & Bank Streaks

Average players reset streak every 4–5 cards. Pros push 12‑ to 15‑card streaks by:

• Leaving mid‑value waste cards (7, 8) that branch both ways.
• Avoiding stock draws until absolutely necessary.
• Mentally mapping a bidirectional ladder (Q‑K‑A‑2‑3‑4 …).

3. Use “Pivot Pairs”

Aces/Kings are endpoints. Before playing a King, ask: “Can I pivot Ace → K → Q in a single chain?” Preserve pivots to extend streak length.

4. Bet on Future Flexibility

Sometimes two moves are available: 5 → 6 or 5 → 4. Peek at uncovered neighbours. If both 3 and 7 lie buried, choose the direction that frees either.

5. Controlled Stock Draws

Drawing a new waste value is powerful—treat it like a wild card. Pro timing:

1. Burn current chain until dead.
2. Visualise next 2–3 tableau options.
3. Draw once, hoping to slot into that micro‑plan.
4. If poor, don’t despair—cards flipped later may revive earlier peaks.

6. Clear Peaks for Bonus & Board Space

Eliminating a peak not only grants 15 pts but also reduces board width, easing visual load. Prioritise a peak when only 2–3 cards remain atop it.

Advanced Concepts

Streak Math & Expected Value

Long streak reward grows quadratically: total streak bonus over n cards = n(n + 1)/2. Ten‑card chain yields 55 bonus points—worth two peak clears. Therefore, a single extra card added to a streak is more valuable than the peak bonus gained by prematurely drawing.

Stock‑Counting

The stock has 24 cards: you can afford 23 draws before the last card. Calculate moves needed: if 15 tableau cards remain, you mathematically need at least one streak of 8 to finish (24 total plays incl. draws). Work backwards.

Waste‑Reset Trick

Suppose waste shows 9 and you desire a 5 to chain 4‑5‑6. If stock top is 8, drawing once gives 8—still wrong. Draw again? Risky. Instead, clear a 10 (if present) to turn waste into 10—now 9 pairs with 8 and 10, extending reach without stock penalty.

Dealing with Dead Cards

Cards of rank 2 or Queen often create bottlenecks because they each connect to only two neighbours. Reveal them early and plan wrap moves (A↔K) to dodge dead ends.

Common Mistakes & Fixes

Probabilities & Performance Benchmarks

Achieve an 80 % win rate before chasing time‑bonus records; consistency breeds speed.

Frequently Asked Questions (In‑Depth)

Can I play cards from different peaks in one streak?

Yes. Peaks are just spatial groupings; streak rules care only about rank sequence.

Do suits matter at all?

No. Unlike Spider or Klondike, TriPeaks ignores suits entirely.

Why does my streak reset when I click stock?

Any stock draw counts as a non‑sequential action, resetting the streak and its bonus multiplier.

Are there unwinnable deals?

Yes, but they’re uncommon. Deals with multiple deep duplicates (e.g., three kings buried) can be mathematically impossible.

Fastest way to improve?

Replay the same seed until you solve it. You’ll see how different opening choices shape streaks and peak order.

Ready to Scale the Three Summits?

TriPeaks serves instant satisfaction—short games, flashy streak scores—yet rewards chess‑level planning for perfectionists. Whether you’re hunting a sub‑30‑second clear or simply aiming to topple your first triple‑peak board, every run offers a fresh puzzle.

▶ Play TriPeaks Solitaire now and carve your path to a 900‑point masterpiece!