Overview
TriPeaks Solitaire is a quick single-player clearing game. Remove exposed cards from three connected peaks by matching the waste pile with a neighboring rank and use stock cards when a chain ends.
Objective
Clear all 28 tableau cards. You win as soon as every card in the three peaks has been removed.
Setup
Cardems deals 28 cards into the three-peak tableau. The ten cards along the bottom row start face up; the other 18 start face down and turn face up when no remaining card covers them. One card begins face up in the waste pile, and the remaining 23 cards form a face-down stock.
How to Play
- Select an exposed, face-up peak card that is exactly one rank above or below the top waste card.
- The selected card becomes the new waste card, so the next legal choice is measured from it.
- Clear cards that uncover another card; Cardems turns newly uncovered peak cards face up automatically.
- If no exposed card is adjacent, draw one new face-up card from the stock to reset the chain.
Important Rules
- A peak card is unavailable while either of the two cards directly over it remains. The bottom row begins available; higher cards open as their covering cards leave.
- You move exactly one card at a time to the waste. Tableau cards do not move between peaks.
- The stock deals one card at a time and does not recycle. Once it is empty, only existing legal peak moves remain.
- Drawing from stock resets the current streak to zero. Undo restores the prior board, score, and streak.
Scoring and Winning
Each cleared peak card scores 10 points plus 5 points for every earlier card in the current streak. The first card of a streak is worth 10, the second 15, and the third 20. Drawing from stock breaks the streak.
Clearing the final peak card adds a win bonus of 100 points plus 5 points for each unused stock card. If the stock is empty and no exposed card is adjacent to the waste, the deal cannot continue and should be redealt or undone.
Strategy
Because Ace and King connect, treat them as bridge cards. Before drawing from stock, scan both directions from the waste rank; using an Ace-to-King move can keep a valuable streak alive.
FAQ
Can I play a King on an Ace?
Yes. Cardems allows Ace–King wraparound in both directions.
Can I recycle the stock?
No. TriPeaks stock cards are used once. There is no waste-to-stock recycle action.
Why can’t I select a face-up card?
It is still covered if either of the two cards immediately below it in the peak remains. Only uncovered cards are playable.
Does drawing a stock card lose my streak bonus?
Yes. A stock draw resets the streak count before the next tableau card is cleared.
