Aces Up Solitaire
Deal a card onto each of four piles and discard lower cards of the same suit. Leave only the four aces to win.
How to play aces up online
- Look at the four piles. The opening deal puts one card face up on each pile, and the other 48 cards form the face-down stock.
- Choose an empty-pile setting: Empty: any card (the default) or Empty: aces only.
- Tap or click a top card that can be discarded, or press its number key (1 to 4, left to right). The card is removed from the game.
- To move a top card into an empty pile, drag it onto that pile. A tap also moves it there when the setting allows it and only one pile is empty.
- Tap the stock, or press D or Space, to deal one card onto each of the four piles.
- Press H or tap Hint when you are unsure. It highlights one next step.
- Press U or Ctrl/Cmd+Z to undo any discard, move, or deal.
- Keep going until 48 cards are discarded and only the four aces are left.
Turn on Auto-discard if you want every possible discard to happen automatically after each move. Press N for a new game and F for fullscreen. The deal number is in the address as ?seed=, so copy that address to share the exact same deal.
What are the aces up rules?
Aces Up uses one 52-card deck. The four piles start with one face-up card each, and the other 48 cards are the stock. Only the top card of each pile can be played, because piles grow downward and the top is the last card. Cards below the top stay untouched until the top card is gone. You win by discarding 48 cards, leaving only the four aces.
How do you discard a card in aces up?
A top card is discarded when another pile’s top card has the same suit and a higher value. Ace is the highest value, so a 5♠ can go under any visible spade of 6 or higher, and a K♥ can go under a visible A♥. Aces can never be discarded. Different suits never discard each other, and discarded cards are gone for good.
When can a card move to an empty pile?
When a pile is empty, the top card of another pile can move onto it. The card must come from a pile with two or more cards, because a lone card cannot move. With the Empty: any card setting, any top card can move. With Empty: aces only, only an ace can move into an empty pile.
What happens when you deal in aces up?
Dealing puts one card from the stock onto each of the four piles, so every pile’s top card changes. You can deal at any time, even while discards or moves are still possible. An empty pile does not block a deal, and the new card lands on it. The 48 stock cards allow 12 deals after the opening one, so a pile can grow to 13 cards.
How do you win aces up?
You win when 48 cards have been discarded and only the four aces remain. The game then shows the message “All that is left is the four aces!” The ideal finish is one ace alone on each pile.
When does an aces up game end without a win?
The game ends with “No more moves” when the stock is empty, no top card can be discarded, and no top card can move to an empty pile. The game is never declared over while a card is still in the stock or while a discard or move is possible. You can then start a new game, restart the same deal, or undo.
How is aces up scored?
Your score is the number of cards you discarded, from 0 to 48, shown as “Discarded x/48.” The number of cards left on the table is 52 minus that score. The stats show your best score, your wins out of finished games, and your win rate. Abandoning a game with New game does not count as a finished game.
What are good aces up strategy and tips?
Look for discards first, but check each one before you make it. Discarding a card removes it for good, so it cannot later help you move or discard another card. Use the stock only when you have no useful discard left, because each deal adds a card to every pile. Empty piles are useful, but with the aces-only setting they can only take aces, so choose the setting before you start. Use Undo to test a line, since it reverses discards, moves, and deals. Hint shows one step ahead, so it is best for checking a move you are unsure about.
Can every aces up deal be won?
No. Some deals can be won, but the game does not guarantee it. A winning line exists for some deals, and the game has no check that tells you whether a deal is winnable. If you reach “No more moves,” you can restart the same deal to try a different route.
Frequently asked questions
Is aces up free, and do I need to sign up?
Yes, the game is free to play. You do not need to sign up or create an account, and nothing is sent to a server.
Can I play aces up on my phone?
Yes. Four columns fit on 375 px and 320 px phone screens, and you can tap or drag cards with touch. Fullscreen shrinks the cards so the longest pile fits the screen height.
Is my aces up game saved?
Yes, but only in your current browser. The game in progress is saved after every move, so a reload continues it. Your settings and stats for each empty-pile setting are also saved in that browser.
Can I share a specific aces up deal?
Yes. Each deal has a number, and the address updates to show it as ?seed= followed by that number. Anyone who opens the link gets the same starting cards.
Does aces up have a timer or move counter?
No. The game does not have a timer, a move counter, or a sound.
Can I see the cards I have discarded?
No. The discard heap shows only how many cards are discarded, and discarded cards cannot be searched or brought back.
What if I get stuck in aces up?
Press Hint to see one suggested step, or press Undo to go back. If you reach “No more moves,” you can restart the same deal or start a new one.
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