How to Play Tri-Peaks Solitaire

Tri-Peaks solitaire (also called Three Peaks or Tri Towers) is a single-player card game that combines luck and quick decision-making. The goal is simple: clear three overlapping peaks of cards by removing them in ascending or descending rank order from a central waste pile. The game uses a standard 52-card deck, takes about five minutes per round, and rewards consecutive removals with escalating streak bonuses. Tri-Peaks is one of the most popular solitaire variants worldwide, appearing in Microsoft Solitaire Collection and countless online card game sites.

Setting Up the Tableau

The tableau consists of 28 cards arranged into three overlapping peaks. Each peak is built from four rows:

1. Row 1 (top): One face-down card crowns each peak — three cards total.
2. Row 2: Two face-down cards beneath each peak card, overlapping slightly — six cards total.
3. Row 3: Three face-down cards beneath each pair in Row 2, with the middle peaks sharing edges — nine cards total.
4. Row 4 (base): Ten face-up cards form the fully exposed base row. These are the only cards available at the start.

The remaining 24 cards are placed face-down as the stock pile. One card is flipped from the stock onto the waste pile to begin play.

Gameplay: Removing Cards

On each turn you remove an exposed tableau card that is exactly one rank higher or lower than the top card on the waste pile. Suit does not matter. The removed card is placed on the waste pile and becomes the new base card for the next removal.

A card is considered exposed when both cards that overlap it from the row below have been removed. As you clear base-row cards, the face-down cards above them become uncovered, are flipped face-up, and join the pool of available moves.

Aces and Kings wrap around: an Ace can be played on a King, and a King can be played on an Ace. This wrapping rule keeps long streaks alive and is essential for clearing difficult boards.

Using the Stock Pile

When no exposed tableau card is one rank away from the waste pile card, draw the top card from the stock pile. This card is placed face-up on the waste pile and becomes the new base card. You may draw only one card at a time, and the stock is not recycled. One of the 24 stock cards starts the waste pile, so you get 23 draws and no more. If no moves remain after the stock is exhausted, the game is over.

Scoring and Streak Bonuses

Tri-Peaks solitaire uses a streak-based scoring system that rewards consecutive removals without drawing from the stock:

• The first card removed in a streak scores 1 point.
• Each subsequent card in the same streak adds one more point than the previous removal (1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and so on).
• Drawing from the stock resets the streak, so the next card removed scores 1 point again.
• Clearing the first or second peak awards 15 points. The third peak pays 30.
• Clearing all three peaks awards an additional 50-point completion bonus on top of any streak and peak bonuses earned.
• Losing costs you 5 points per card left standing in the peaks, which can push the final score below zero.

The maximum theoretical score is achieved by clearing all 28 tableau cards in a single unbroken streak, which is extremely rare. High scores typically come from maintaining long streaks across peak boundaries.

Winning and Losing

You win by clearing every card from the three peaks. You lose when the stock pile is empty and no exposed tableau card is one rank away from the waste pile card. A loss subtracts 5 points for every card still standing in the peaks, so a game that stalls early finishes on a negative score even after streak and peak bonuses.

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