Penguin Solitaire — Free Online FreeCell Variant
- Decks
- 1 (52 cards)
- Tableau
- 7 columns
- Free Cells
- 7
- Foundations
- 4 (founder rank)
- Building
- Wrap-around by suit
- Win Rate
- ~98% solvable
- Difficulty
- Easy–Intermediate
- Game Time
- 8–15 minutes
Penguin Solitaire is an open, highly winnable member of the FreeCell family. Every card is dealt face-up, you get a generous seven free cells to work with, and the rank of the very first card — the "founder" — sets where the foundations begin. From there both the foundations and the tableau build by suit and wrap around the corner from King to Ace, which gives Penguin its distinctive, satisfying flow. With nothing hidden and so much workspace, around 98% of deals are solvable, making this a game where almost every loss is down to a misstep rather than bad luck. This free online Penguin Solitaire plays instantly in your browser — no download and no sign-up.
What Is Penguin Solitaire?
Penguin Solitaire is a single-deck patience game invented by David Parlett, played with seven free cells and four foundations. It belongs to the same open-information family as FreeCell, meaning all 52 cards are visible from the start and success depends on planning rather than luck. The goal is to move every card to the four foundations.
What makes Penguin unique is the "founder" mechanic. The first card dealt determines the founder rank, and all four cards of that rank — sometimes called the "flippers" — start on the foundations. The foundations then build UP by suit from that founder rank, wrapping past the King to the Ace if needed. The tableau builds DOWN by suit and also wraps around, so an Ace can be placed on a 2 and a King on an Ace. This wrap-around building, combined with seven free cells, gives Penguin a flowing, forgiving character.
This free online version uses the standard Penguin rules. Play in your browser on desktop, tablet, or phone — with no download, no sign-up, and unlimited undo to help you plan and learn.
How to Play Penguin Solitaire — Complete Rules
Setup and the Founder
The first card dealt sets the founder rank. All four cards of that rank are placed on the four foundations to begin. The remaining 48 cards are dealt face-up across seven tableau columns. Seven empty free cells sit alongside as temporary storage for a single card each.
Objective
Build all four foundations up by suit from the founder rank, wrapping past King to Ace, until every card is on a foundation. Because all cards are visible and seven free cells are available, the large majority of deals can be solved with careful play.
Rules of Play
- Build the tableau DOWN by the same suit, wrapping around — for example, place the 5 of clubs on the 6 of clubs, or the Ace of clubs on the 2 of clubs, or the King of clubs on the Ace of clubs.
- Build the foundations UP by suit from the founder rank, wrapping past King to Ace.
- Each of the seven free cells holds one card at a time and can be used to park any card temporarily.
- An empty column may be filled by any available card or movable sequence.
- You may move a sequence of properly ordered same-suit cards together; the number you can move at once equals (1 + empty free cells) × (1 + empty columns).
- There is no stock and no redeal — everything is on the table from the first move.
Penguin Solitaire Strategy Guide
1. Treat Free Cells as Precious, Not Free
Seven free cells feel generous, but every card you park reduces how large a sequence you can move. Keeping cells empty keeps your supermoves big and your options open. Use cells to unblock a specific card, then aim to empty them again as soon as that card has a home. Filling all seven cells with no plan is the fastest way to strand yourself.
2. Plan Around the Wrap
The wrap-around rule is Penguin’s defining twist. Because the tableau wraps (Ace on 2, King on Ace) and the foundations wrap up from the founder, sequences can bridge the King-Ace corner that would be a dead end in ordinary FreeCell. Look for chances to thread a run through the wrap — it often unlocks long same-suit sequences that move as a single unit.
3. Keep an Empty Column Open
Empty columns are even more powerful than free cells, because they multiply your supermove size and can hold whole sequences. Try to clear and protect at least one empty column as workspace. With seven free cells plus one empty column, you can relocate surprisingly long runs in a single move.
4. Mind the Founder Rank
Everything is anchored to the founder rank. The cards just below the founder are the last to go up, so do not bury them carelessly early on. Keep a mental note of where the founder-minus-one cards are, since they often become the bottleneck in the endgame.
Is Penguin Solitaire Winnable?
Yes — Penguin is one of the most winnable solitaire games. With every card visible and seven free cells available, computer analysis finds that roughly 98% of deals are solvable. That puts it close to FreeCell in solvability and makes it an excellent, low-frustration game of pure skill:
| Game | Free Cells | Cards Hidden | Approx. Solvable |
|---|---|---|---|
| FreeCell | 4 | None | ~99.99% |
| Penguin | 7 | None | ~98% |
| Eight Off | 8 | None | ~90% |
| Baker’s Game | 4 | None | ~75% |
Because almost every deal is winnable, a loss in Penguin almost always means there was a better line of play. That is exactly what makes open-information games like Penguin so rewarding — improvement is entirely in your hands.
Penguin vs. FreeCell
Penguin and FreeCell are close cousins — both deal every card face-up and use free cells — but a few rules give Penguin its own feel:
| Feature | Penguin | FreeCell |
|---|---|---|
| Free cells | 7 | 4 |
| Tableau building | Down, same suit | Down, alternating color |
| Wrap-around (King–Ace) | Yes | No |
| Foundations start at | Founder rank | Ace |
| Difficulty | Easy–Intermediate | Intermediate |
If you enjoy Penguin and want the classic four-cell challenge, try FreeCell next; if you want even more storage, Eight Off offers eight cells with same-suit building.
About the Name
Penguin Solitaire was designed by the games scholar David Parlett. The name is a playful nod to its mechanics: the four founder cards that start on the foundations are nicknamed the "flippers," and the very first card is the "beak," conjuring the image of a penguin. Beneath the whimsical naming is a tightly designed, almost-always-winnable game that has become a favorite among fans of open-information solitaire.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Filling all seven free cells with no plan, which shrinks your supermoves and can strand the board.
- Giving up an empty column casually — empty columns are your most valuable workspace.
- Ignoring the wrap-around rule and missing sequences that bridge the King-Ace corner.
- Burying the founder-minus-one cards early, then finding them stuck in the endgame.
- Rushing cards to the foundations when they are still useful for building in the tableau.
Tips for Beginners
New to Penguin Solitaire? Start by getting comfortable with the wrap-around rule — practice running a same-suit sequence through the King-Ace corner. Keep your free cells as empty as you can and protect one empty column as workspace. Use the unlimited undo freely to explore lines of play; because about 98% of deals are solvable, almost every game can be won if you plan ahead. Take your time, read the whole board, and let the seven free cells do the heavy lifting.
Play Penguin Solitaire Free Online — No Download
You can play Penguin Solitaire free online right here, with no download, no app, and no sign-up. The game runs entirely in your browser and scales to desktop, tablet, and phone, so an open, almost-always-winnable game of skill is always within reach. With seven free cells, every card face-up, and the satisfying wrap-around build, Penguin is one of the friendliest and most rewarding games in the FreeCell family — and unlimited undo means you can learn from every deal.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Penguin Solitaire?
Penguin Solitaire is a single-deck FreeCell-family game with seven free cells. All cards are dealt face-up, the rank of the first card (the founder) sets where the foundations begin, and both the tableau and foundations build by suit with wrap-around from King to Ace. The goal is to move every card to the four foundations.
How is Penguin different from FreeCell?
Penguin has seven free cells instead of four, builds the tableau down by the same suit (not alternating color), wraps around the King-Ace corner, and starts its foundations at a founder rank rather than the Ace. These differences make Penguin flow more freely and rank among the most winnable solitaire games.
Is Penguin Solitaire winnable?
Almost always. With every card visible and seven free cells, around 98% of Penguin deals are solvable with correct play. A loss usually means there was a better line available, which is what makes it such a satisfying game of skill.
What is the founder rank?
The founder is the rank of the first card dealt. All four cards of that rank start on the foundations, and the foundations then build up by suit from there, wrapping past King to Ace. The founder rank changes from game to game.
What does wrap-around building mean?
In Penguin, sequences continue past the King-Ace corner. In the tableau you can place an Ace on a 2 and a King on an Ace; on the foundations you build up from the founder rank and continue past the King to the Ace. This wrap is Penguin’s signature feature.
Do I need to download anything to play Penguin Solitaire?
No. This Penguin Solitaire plays directly in your web browser with nothing to download or install and no sign-up required. It works on desktop, tablet, and mobile, and includes unlimited undo.