Empty Tableau Piles

Tip 1Look for opportunities to empty a tableau pile.

Players often make the first legal move they see without examining the rest of the layout. Check all ten piles before you decide your action, as an opportunity to create an empty space may present itself.

Tip 2Look to empty the tableau pile containing the fewest cards.

If one pile contains only the 7♣ and another pile ends with the 8♣, move the 7♣ onto the 8♣. The first pile becomes empty and can now hold any available card or legal sequence.

Example

Tip 3Look to empty a pile when its available card can be moved to a foundation.

A tableau pile contains only the 4♥, and the heart foundation contains A♥-2♥-3♥. Move the 4♥ to the foundation and create an empty tableau pile.

Example

Of course, if moving the card to the foundation removes an important support card from the tableau, check whether another move will create the same empty space without weakening your position.

Tip 4Look to empty a pile when you can move its complete sequence onto another pile.

You have J♦-10♦-9♦ in one pile and Q♦ available in another pile. Move the complete sequence onto the Queen of diamonds.

Example

The sequence move does more than organise the diamonds. It gives you an empty pile that can be used to rearrange the rest of the tableau.

Tip 5Look to use an empty pile when a waste card is in danger of being covered.

The 9♠ is on top of the waste pile, but there is no available 10♠ in the tableau. If an empty tableau pile is available, move the 9♠ into it before turning over the next stock card.

Example

Even though the 9♠ does not immediately form a sequence, it remains available. If you leave it in the waste and turn over another card, it becomes covered. A covered waste card is not necessarily lost — it comes back into play if every card above it can be legally removed — but with a single stock pass you cannot count on that happening.

Tip 6Do not fill an empty tableau pile with the first available card.

You have an empty pile, an available K♣ and an available sequence of 8♥-7♥-6♥. Moving the King into the empty pile does not uncover anything. Moving the heart sequence may expose an Ace beneath it.

Example

An empty tableau pile is too valuable to waste on a random card. Use it when the move uncovers an important card, protects a waste card, combines sequences or helps create another empty pile.

Tip 7If you have created one empty pile, look for a way to create a second empty pile.

One tableau pile is empty. Another contains the 10♣-9♣-8♣ sequence, and a third pile ends with J♣. Move the 10♣-9♣-8♣ sequence onto the J♣.

Example

You now have two empty tableau piles. This gives you much more freedom to separate, combine and rearrange sequences.

Tip 8If you need to fill an empty pile, use a card or sequence that can be moved again.

The waste pile shows the 7♦. You have an empty pile and the 8♦ is buried beneath an available card in another tableau pile.

Example

Move the 7♦ into the empty pile only if you have a plan to uncover the 8♦. Once the 8♦ becomes available, the 7♦ can be moved onto it and the empty pile will be restored.

Tip 9If one suit has several connected cards, use an empty pile to build the complete sequence.

Example

Move the 8♠-7♠ sequence into the empty pile if necessary. Move the 10♠-9♠ sequence onto the Jack of spades. Then move the 8♠-7♠ sequence onto the 9 of spades. The completed sequence is Q♠-J♠-10♠-9♠-8♠-7♠.

You can now move all six cards together. The empty pile has allowed several smaller groups to become one powerful sequence.

Tip 10With only one empty pile, do not use it for a move that produces no advantage.

You have an empty pile and the King of hearts available. Moving the King into the space is legal, but there are no lower hearts available to place on it and the move does not uncover another card.

Example

A legal move is not always a good move. Empty space gives you flexibility, while an isolated King may leave you with nowhere to rearrange the cards you uncover later.

Tip 11Store a sequence in an empty pile when it helps uncover a low foundation card.

Example

Move the 9♦-8♦-7♦ sequence into the empty pile. The Ace of clubs becomes available and can be moved to a foundation. The diamond sequence can then be moved onto the 10♦.

After the moves the foundation holds A♣, Pile A is empty, Pile B holds 10♦-9♦-8♦-7♦ and Pile C is empty again. One temporary move has uncovered an Ace and created two empty tableau piles.

Tip 12If an empty pile allows you to uncover an Ace, use it.

The foundations cannot develop until their Aces become available. Creating a space to uncover an Ace is almost always worth doing, especially early in the game.

Example

Move the 6♣-5♣ sequence onto the 7♣. The Ace of spades becomes available and Pile A becomes empty after the Ace is moved to the foundation.

Tip 13If an empty pile lets you rescue the top waste card, consider what you may uncover next.

Example

You can move the 8♣ directly onto the 9♣, so do not waste the empty pile. Keep the space open for a waste card that has no other legal destination.

Always choose the move that preserves the greatest number of future options.

Tip 14If you can empty a pile by sending several cards to the foundations, check the order first.

Example

Move the 3♥ to the heart foundation first. Then move the 4♣ to the club foundation. The tableau pile is now empty.

If the cards are played in the wrong order, you may overlook the second move and fail to create the empty space.

Tip 15If an empty pile has been blocked for too long, look for a way to restore it.

You placed the Q♥ into an empty pile earlier in the game. The J♥ is now available in another pile, followed by the 10♥ and 9♥.

Example

Build the heart sequence beneath the Queen, then look for an available K♥. If the complete Q-J-10-9 sequence can be moved onto the King, the empty pile will be restored.