Pyramid solitaire where pairs add up to thirteen

Pyramid Thirteens is the pyramid patience in Games by Zaweba: you take apart a pyramid of 28 cards by removing pairs that add up to thirteen. It's free, it runs offline and it's quick, which makes it a good game for a short break.

The appeal of pyramid patience is how simple the rule is. Every move is a sum, and the only question is which pair to take first. That question turns out to be more interesting than it looks.

The rules

Twenty-eight cards are laid out as a pyramid. You remove pairs of uncovered cards that add up to 13. An ace counts 1, a jack 11 and a queen 12, and a king is 13 on its own, so it goes by itself. A card in the pyramid becomes free once both cards overlapping it have gone.

You also have a stock. Turn it one card at a time, and the top card of the waste can be paired too. You can turn the stock over twice. Clear the whole pyramid to win.

To play, click two cards to pair them, or drag one onto the other. Click the stock to turn a card. Space turns, Z undoes and H gives a hint. You'll find Pyramid Thirteens on the Cards shelf.

Thinking a move or two ahead

The pairs to remember are ace and queen, two and jack, three and ten, four and nine, five and eight, six and seven. Kings go alone. Once those are second nature, the game becomes about choices.

Often you'll have two ways to make a pair. Say there are two sixes you could match with one seven. Look at what each six is covering. Take the one that frees a card you need, or that opens up the narrow middle of the pyramid, which is the hardest part to reach.

Clear the lower rows with an eye on the top. The single card at the peak of the pyramid is covered by everything beneath it, so the game is won or lost by whether you can dig a path up to it.

Use the stock with care. You can only turn it over twice, so if a card from the stock pairs with something in the pyramid, it's usually better than waiting. Keep a rough count of which values are still in the stock.

Kings are free moves. A free king can always come off on its own, so take them when they're uncovered.

When you're unsure, the hint shows a legal pair, and undo lets you try the other choice and compare.

A good game for short sessions

Pyramid Thirteens is one of the quicker patience games in Games by Zaweba, which suits a coffee break or a few minutes between jobs. If the phone rings, Esc pauses, and the game also pauses by itself when you switch to another window.

The library keeps your plays, wins and best score on the game's tile, and the result card at the end shows your score next to your best. Scores stay on your PC.

Other patience on the Cards shelf

If you like quick games built on simple sums, try Fairway, nine holes of patience golf where you play one higher or one lower, or Three Hills, which chains plays for streak bonuses. For something deeper, Classic Patience, Open Cells and the two-pack Spinner Patience are all on the same shelf. Star the ones you like and they'll sit on your Favourites shelf next time.