Baker's Dozen
A tableau solitaire with thirteen columns and all cards visible.
Setup
Deal all cards into 13 columns of 4. Move kings to the bottom of their columns before play.
How to Play
- Build tableau columns downward regardless of suit.
- Move only one card at a time.
- Build foundations upward by suit from ace.
How to Win
Move all cards to foundations.
Because every card is visible, pause before moving a low card that blocks a foundation.
Is Baker's Dozen Right for You?
Baker's Dozen deals all 52 cards face-up into thirteen columns of four and asks you to build the foundations up from Ace, with Kings sunk to the bottom of their piles at the start. Reach for it when you want an open-information solitaire that is more about careful sequencing than luck.
Maybe skip it if: If you want to send cards to other columns freely, the in-suit-only building here will feel restrictive.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Moving a card to the foundation too early when it was needed to free a card underneath.
- Forgetting you may only move the single top card of a column, never a sequence.
- Ignoring that Kings are pre-buried, so the cards beneath them are hard to liberate.
Strategy Tips
- Work to clear the shorter or more flexible columns first to create maneuvering room.
- Delay sending cards to the foundation until you are sure they no longer block a needed card.
- Plan around the buried Kings early, since the cards trapped beneath them are your hardest problem.
Popular Variations
Baker's Dozen by suit
Stricter versions require tableau builds to follow suit rather than just rank, raising the difficulty.
Spanish Patience
A close relative with the same thirteen-pile structure and Ace-up foundations under a different name.
Our Take
We rate Baker's Dozen highly among open solitaires: nothing is hidden, so a loss is genuinely on you, and a good share of deals are winnable with patient play. It is a thinking-person's patience that rewards looking before you move.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are the Kings moved in Baker's Dozen?
Each King is placed at the bottom of its column during the deal so it cannot block the cards above it on a foundation that builds up from Ace.
Can you move more than one card at a time?
No. Only the exposed top card of a column may be moved, which is what makes the game challenging.