How to Play Aces Up
Aces Up is a fast-paced, high-difficulty solitaire game also known as Idiot's Delight. The goal is to discard every card until only the four Aces remain — one atop each column.
The Setup
- Deck: Standard 52-card deck, no Jokers.
- Layout: Deal four cards face-up into four tableau columns.
- Stock: The remaining 48 cards sit face-down as the draw pile.
Winning & Losing
- Win: Discard all 48 non-Ace cards — four Aces remain, one atop each column.
- Lose: Stock is empty and no legal moves remain, but non-Ace cards are still on the board.
Rules of Play
1
Discarding Cards
Discard the top card of a column if another column's top card shares the same suit and has a higher rank. Aces are the highest rank and can never be discarded.
Example: top cards are 7♥, 10♠, K♥, 4♦ → discard 7♥ because K♥ outranks it in hearts.
2
Moving to an Empty Column
When a column is completely empty you may move the top card of any other column into it. This is your main strategic lever for uncovering buried cards.
3
Dealing from the Stock
When no discards or useful moves are available, deal four new cards from the stock — one onto each column — then resume play.
Key Strategies
- Prioritise empty columns. An open slot is your only rearrangement tool.
- Watch the Aces. An Ace on top blocks everything beneath it — move it to an empty slot to free the column.
- Think before you fill. Don't rush to fill an empty column; wait for a move that unlocks new discards.
The Story of Aces Up
Aces Up has been part of the solitaire family for over a hundred years, first appearing in late 19th-century card manuals alongside Klondike and Spider. You win roughly 1 in 20 games — which means every win feels genuinely earned.
Different Names, Same Game
- Idiot's Delight — most common name in early 20th-century American rulebooks.
- The Travelers — common in older British guides.
- Firing Squad — a nickname for the way cards are eliminated from the row.