Pyramid Solitaire looks like arithmetic and is really a digging problem. Every card blocks two above it, so the pair you choose to remove decides which part of the pyramid opens next.
What I cover
1. Learn the pairs so you stop calculating
The pairs that total thirteen are ace with queen, two with jack, three with ten, four with nine, five with eight, and six with seven. Kings count thirteen alone and clear with a single tap.
Commit those six pairings to memory early. While you are still doing the arithmetic you will miss available pairs simply because you did not scan for them, and the game moves fast enough that a missed pair often means a missed opportunity to open a covered card.
2. Read the cover structure before your first move
Only fully uncovered cards are playable. A pyramid card stays locked until both cards resting on it from the row below have been removed, and the grayed cards become available as you dig.
Before touching anything, look at which cards are blocking the most. A card in the middle of the second-to-bottom row is holding up a chain of cards above it, while a card at the far edge is holding up far less. Clearing the high-value blockers first is what opens the pyramid; clearing edge cards first is what strands you.
3. When two pairs are available, pick the one that digs deeper
This is the core skill. Pairs score nothing different from each other, so the only thing distinguishing two available pairs is what they uncover. Take the one that exposes cards you will be able to use, and specifically the one that unblocks the middle of the pyramid rather than an edge.
The question to ask each time: after this removal, how many new cards become playable? A pair that frees two useful cards is worth much more than a pair that frees none, even though both look identical on the board.
4. Treat the stock as a limited resource
The twenty-four cards outside the pyramid deal one at a time to the waste pile, where the top card can pair with any free pyramid card. When the stock runs out, tapping it recycles the waste, but recycling is not unlimited value.
Spend helpers where they open covered cards, not where they are merely convenient. If a waste card can pair with either an edge card or a card blocking three others, take the blocker every time. The most common losing pattern is burning stock on easy pairs early, then reaching a position where one specific card would unlock everything and it has already gone past.
5. Clear kings when they are in the way, not on sight
Kings clear alone with a single tap, which makes them feel like free moves. They are not quite free, because a king that is currently blocking nothing is doing no harm, and clearing it does nothing for you either.
The useful habit is to clear kings the moment they become blockers and leave them alone otherwise. It costs nothing to wait, and it keeps your attention on the pairs that actually change the board.
6. Recognise a dead deal early and move on
Not every deal is winnable. Some bury partners beyond rescue, which is part of the classic design and keeps the wins honest. Good excavation choices win far more deals than luck alone, but a dead deal will turn up occasionally.
The signal is usually two cards of the same rank both locked deep in the pyramid with their only partners also locked. Once you can see that, further play is just moving cards. Recognising it and dealing again is a better use of five minutes than grinding a position that cannot resolve, and it is not a failure of skill.
Pyramid is one of the great members of the solitaire family, and the standard rules match what is implemented here if you want to compare variants.
FAQ
Which cards pair in Pyramid Solitaire?
Pairs totalling thirteen: ace with queen, two with jack, three with ten, four with nine, five with eight, and six with seven. Kings count thirteen by themselves and clear alone.
Why are some cards greyed out?
A pyramid card is locked until both cards resting on it from the row below are gone. Only fully uncovered cards are playable, and greyed cards become available as you dig.
How should I decide between two available pairs?
Take the one that uncovers more useful cards, and prefer opening the middle of the pyramid over an edge. Pairs score the same, so what they expose is the only real difference.
When should I use a stock card?
Only when it opens a covered card. Spending helpers on convenient edge pairs early is the most common reason a deal fails later.
Is every deal winnable?
No. Some deals bury partners beyond rescue by design. If two cards of a rank are both locked deep with their partners also locked, the deal is dead and dealing again is the better choice.