Building long streaks in Three Hills

Three Hills is a brisk patience game about chains. Three hills of cards sit on the table, and you race down them by playing cards one higher or one lower than the card on the waste. Each play in a row is worth more than the last, so the whole game is about keeping a streak alive. It is a one-player game on the Cards shelf of Games by Zaweba.

It shares the one higher or one lower idea with Fairway, but the scoring makes it feel quite different. In Three Hills, a long run is everything.

One higher, one lower, and the wrap

You may play any uncovered card that is one higher or one lower than the waste card. Suits do not matter. Aces and kings join up, so an ace can go on a king and a king on an ace, which means a run never hits a dead end at the top or bottom.

Each play in a row is worth more than the last. Every hilltop you take, the card at the very top of a hill, is a bonus on top.

When you are stuck, turn a card from the stock. That gives you a new waste card, but it ends your streak, so the next play starts the count again from the beginning.

A game is three rounds, and the best total wins.

Playing from the hills

Click a free card to play it, and click the stock to turn. Space also turns, and at the end of a round it moves you on to the next.

Keeping the streak going

Because streaks pay so well, the best move is not always the first card you see. Before you play, look for a path. If two cards both fit the waste, ask which one opens up the longer run. Playing a nine might uncover a ten, then an eleven, while playing the other nine leaves you stuck.

Remember that a run can change direction. Six, seven, six, five is a perfectly good streak. Looking both ways at every step finds plays you might otherwise miss.

Think about uncovering. A card is only free when the cards over it have gone, so playing from the bottom of a hill often reveals new cards to keep the chain going. Cards that uncover others are usually better plays than cards that do not.

Use the wrap from king to ace. It is easy to forget, and it can rescue a streak that looks finished.

Do not turn the stock until you are sure there is nothing left. Every turn breaks the chain, so one missed play can cost you a lot of points.

Bonuses and the three rounds

The hilltops are worth chasing, since each one adds a bonus. A streak that runs right up to a hilltop is the best of both. Over three rounds, a single great streak can make the difference, so it is worth taking a moment before each play rather than clicking quickly.

Why it is a favourite for short breaks

Three Hills in Games by Zaweba is quick, bright and satisfying. A round takes a few minutes, and Esc pauses between plays if you need to step away. Your best total sits on the game's tile in the library, which gives every new game a target. If you enjoy it, try Fairway next, which uses the same higher or lower move with a golf-style score.