How to Play TriPeaks Solitaire: Rules, Streaks and Scoring

By Nesim Razon, independent Android developer

TriPeaks is a fast, friendly solitaire. You clear three peaks of cards by playing cards that are one step above or below the card on the pile. There is no building down in columns, so each deal takes only a few minutes, and the fun is in the streaks.

The goal and the layout

Clear all 28 cards from the three peaks. The peaks are made of overlapping rows of 3, 6, 9 and 10 cards, with the 10 cards of the bottom row spread across the whole table. The other 24 cards form the stock. One of them is turned over at the start to begin the waste pile.

The one-higher-or-lower rule

• You can play a card from the peaks if it is exactly one rank higher or one rank lower than the card on top of the waste pile. A 6 goes on a 5 or a 7. Suits do not matter.
• Ace and King count as neighbours, so you can go from a King to an Ace and the other way round.
• A card is only playable when no other card is covering it. At the start only the bottom row is free; each time you remove cards, more of the row above is uncovered.
• The card you play becomes the new top of the waste, and the next play is measured against it.

Drawing from the stock

When you have nothing to play, tap the stock to turn the next card onto the waste. This is your only way forward when you are stuck, but it has a cost: it resets your streak to zero.

You have 24 stock cards, and one is turned over at the beginning, so there are 23 draws to use. Treat them like a limited resource. If the stock runs out and no card on the table fits, the deal is over.

Streaks and scoring

• Every card you play in a row without drawing extends your streak. The first card is worth 10 points, the second 20, the third 30, and so on.
• Clearing a peak gives a bonus of 100 points.
• If you clear all 28 cards, every card left in the stock gives 20 extra points.
• Drawing from the stock resets the streak to zero. A long streak is the biggest source of points, so a single early draw can cost a lot.

Strategy: look for chains

Before you play, scan the free cards and the waste. Often there are several choices, and the best one is the one that lets the next card play as well. If the waste is a 7 and you hold a 6 and an 8, and a 5 and a 9 are hiding under them, you can plan a run like 6, 5, then back up through 6s and 7s.

Prefer plays that uncover new cards. A move that opens a covered card gives you more options for the next step, so it is usually better than a move that opens nothing.

Remember the wrap: a King sitting next to an Ace is a link that is easy to miss, and it often connects two chains.

Think of the table as a set of ladders. Your goal is to climb up and down them without touching the stock.

Peaks and tips

• Clear a peak completely when the opportunity is there. The peak bonus is 100 points and the cards at its top are the last to come free.
• Do not draw just because it feels safe. Check every free card first, including ones at the edges.
• Count how many cards of a rank are still hidden. If all four 8s are already used, a 7 can only be followed by a 6.
• Use the hint when you are stuck. Hints in Cardles point out a playable card, or tell you to draw if nothing fits.
• Undo is free and unlimited, so test two different plays and keep the better one.

Can every deal be cleared?

In Cardles, TriPeaks deals can be cleared, so a win is always possible. That does not mean it is easy, because finding the right order takes thought. Play carefully, keep your streak alive, and look back to the Klondike guide if you want a slower, column-building game instead.