Winning a game of Solitaire feels great, but what does your score actually mean? Points come from the moves you make, how fast you play, and sometimes real bet money. This guide shows you how each scoring style adds up.
- Standard scoring gives points for moving cards to the foundations and flipping cards over.
- You lose points for pulling cards back off the foundations.
- A time bonus rewards you for finishing fast.
- Vegas scoring uses dollars, and you can end a game below zero.
Why Solitaire has a score
For a long time, people just played to win or lose. Scoring came later so players could compare games and chase a personal best. If you like a challenge, a score turns a quiet game into a small contest with yourself.
There is no single scoring rule that every version uses. The two most common styles are standard scoring and Vegas scoring. We will walk through both so you can read any board. You can also see how scores stack up against others on the leaderboard.
How standard scoring works
Standard scoring rewards helpful moves and punishes wasteful ones. The exact numbers vary a little, but the classic Microsoft version is the one most people know. Here is the usual table.
| Action | Points |
|---|---|
| Move a card to a foundation | +10 |
| Turn over a face-down tableau card | +5 |
| Move a card from the waste to the tableau | +5 |
| Move a card back off a foundation | -15 |
So a card that goes from the waste, into the tableau, and later up to a foundation can earn points more than once. That is why active play, not just fast play, builds a bigger number. If the words like tableau and waste are new to you, our Solitaire glossary defines each one.
The time and move bonus
Many versions add a time bonus when you win. The faster you finish, the bigger the reward. The math is simple: the game divides a set number by your seconds played, so a quick win pays much more than a slow one.
Because of this bonus, a clean, speedy win can be worth far more than a messy one. It pushes you to plan a few moves ahead instead of clicking around. Some versions also give a small move bonus for finishing in fewer moves. If you enjoy racing the clock, the daily challenge is a fun place to test your speed.
How Vegas scoring works
Vegas scoring treats the game like a bet. You "pay" 52 dollars to play, one for each card. Then you earn 5 dollars for every card you move to a foundation.
That means you need to place at least 11 cards on the foundations just to break even, since 11 times 5 is 55. Place fewer and you finish in the red. Clear the whole deck and you can win around 260 dollars. Vegas scoring is honest but harsh, and it is why the odds matter so much. Our post on whether all games are winnable is worth a read before you keep score this way.
Simple ways to raise your score
You can nudge your score up with a few habits.
- Flip face-down cards early. Each one is free points and opens new plays.
- Avoid pulling cards back off the foundations, since that costs you 15 in standard play.
- Play with purpose so you finish faster and earn a bigger time bonus.
- In Vegas mode, focus on getting as many cards up top as you can, even if you cannot win the whole game.
Add up your classic Solitaire score
To score the classic game, add 10 for each card sent to a foundation, 5 for each face-down card you flip, and 5 for each waste card you move into play. Subtract 15 any time you take a card back off a foundation. If your version has a time bonus, tack that on when you win. For Vegas play, start at minus 52 and add 5 per foundation card instead. Once you know which style you are using, the total is easy to figure out, and every clean, quick win pushes your best score a little higher.