Pyramid – Rules
Play Pyramid against the computer
1. Quick overview
| Name | Pyramid |
| Game type | Patience for one person, forming pairs |
| Players | 1 |
| Recommended age | 7 and up |
| Duration | one game 3–10 minutes |
| Material | 52 cards |
| Goal | Clear the pyramid of 28 cards. |
| Difficulty | easy to learn, often tricky |
What is it about? 28 cards lie as a pyramid. You clear it by removing two free cards adding up to 13 – Kings count 13 and go on their own.
2. Cards and material
- Deck: 52 French cards.
- Values: Ace = 1, number cards at face value, Jack = 11, Queen = 12, King = 13.
- Matching pairs: A+Q, 2+J, 3+10, 4+9, 5+8, 6+7; the King alone.
3. Setup and start
- Shuffle and lay out the pyramid face up (1 + 2 + … + 7 = 28 cards).
- The remaining 24 cards form the face-down stock.
Starting example: The bottom row contains an 8 and a 5 – they add up to 13 and are removed.
4. Goal and winning
- Won: The pyramid is empty.
- Lost: The stock is used up and no pair is possible.
5. Play in detail
- Free cards: A card is free when no card in the row below covers it any more. At the start only the seven cards of the bottom row are free.
- Pairs: Two free cards adding up to 13 are removed.
- Kings: A free King is removed on its own.
- Stock: Turn cards from the stock face up onto the waste one at a time. The top waste card may pair with a free pyramid card.
- New pass: When the stock is empty, turn the waste over – as often as agreed.
Example.
- You remove the Queen at the bottom left together with the Ace from the middle of the bottom row.
- This frees a 6 in the second row from the bottom. You turn a stock card: a 7 – together 13, both are removed.
6. Scoring
- Won or not; if you like, count the cards left in the pyramid.
7. Special rules and important situations
- Overlapping pairs: Two cards of which one covers the other cannot form a pair.
- Passes: How often the stock may be gone through is agreed beforehand (usually 1 to 3).
8. Variants
| Variant | What changes? | For whom? |
|---|---|---|
| Unlimited passes | The stock may be gone through any number of times. | Beginners |
| One pass | Only once through the stock. | Experts |
| Giza | The stock is laid out face up in rows. | Puzzle fans |
On cardgames.zone you choose 1, 3 or unlimited passes as well as easy, medium or hard.
9. Tips for beginners
- Clear blockades: First remove cards that cover many others.
- Not every pair at once: Sometimes you need a card later for a more important pair.
- Count the stock: Remember which values are still in the stock.
10. Summary in 10 steps
- Shuffle 52 cards.
- Lay out a pyramid of 28 cards.
- Rest as the stock.
- Values: A = 1, J = 11, Q = 12, K = 13.
- Only free cards count.
- Remove two cards adding up to 13.
- Remove Kings alone.
- Stock card onto the waste, the top one is playable.
- Turn the waste over if allowed.
- Pyramid empty: won.
11. Frequently asked questions
May two cards from the waste form a pair?
No, only the top waste card is playable.
Do I have to clear the top of the pyramid last?
Yes – it only becomes free when the two cards below it are gone.
Origin & history
Pyramid has been described in English-language patience books since the early 20th century. Its simple arithmetic – pairs adding up to 13 – makes it one of the most accessible patiences.