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What is Diamond Solitaire?

Diamond Solitaire is a stylish and strategic tableau-clearing solitaire game that uses a diamond-shaped layout made of 23 cards, 9 of which begin face-up. It plays with the same smooth, intuitive rhythm as Tripeaks: remove cards by matching ranks, reveal hidden cards, and build satisfying chains of moves. What sets Diamond Solitaire apart is its split tableau structure—the upper and lower halves of the diamond reveal independently, creating a unique two-section puzzle that rewards timing, planning, and smart card exposure.

How to Play Diamond Solitaire

Objective

The goal of Diamond Solitaire is to clear all cards from the tableau by moving them to the waste pile. You remove cards by selecting any available tableau card that is exactly one rank higher or lower than the top card of the waste pile. Suits and colors do not matter.

Setup

Diamond Solitaire is played with a standard 52-card deck and uses a tableau shaped like a symmetrical diamond. The layout is made of:

Tableau: 23 cards arranged in a diamond shape. A total of 9 cards begin face-up—6 in the upper section and 3 along the outer edges and bottom of the lower section. The upper portion of the diamond reveals independently from the lower portion, giving you two semi-separate areas to manage. Removing exposed cards flips the face-down cards they directly support.
Stock (draw pile): The remaining cards form the stock. When no tableau moves are available, you draw the next card to the waste.
Waste: The waste pile determines which tableau cards you can play next. When you remove a tableau card, it becomes the new top of the waste.

Rules

Rank-based matching: You may play a tableau card that is one rank higher or lower than the current waste card.
First Move Flexibility: Because the waste pile starts empty, your first card may be any exposed (face-up and unblocked) tableau card. After this opening move, the usual “one higher or one lower” rule applies.
Face-up & unblocked cards only: You may only play cards that are both face-up and not covered by another card. Each removed card may reveal one or more cards in its section of the diamond.
Single stock pass: You typically get only one pass through the stock. Once the stock is empty, no additional draws are allowed.
No tableau building: You may not move cards around within the tableau—only remove them.
Empty spaces remain empty: When a card is removed, its space does not refill. The diamond structure stays as dealt.

Strategies for Diamond Solitaire

Diamond Solitaire rewards careful planning, especially because the tableau is split into two reveal zones. These strategies can help improve your win rate:

Reveal within each section: Since the upper and lower halves of the diamond do not unlock each other, focus on making progress in both areas. Avoid letting one section stagnate while only clearing the other.
Make the first move count: With only 9 face-up cards to start—most around the edges—your opening pick matters. Choose a card that helps reveal deeper layers of the diamond and opens more future moves.
Check all options before drawing: Stock draws reduce your flexibility. Always scan both the upper and lower halves for possible plays before drawing a new waste card.
Build long runs: Just like in Tripeaks-style games, chaining moves in both directions (for example, Q → K → Q → J → 10) is the key to clearing large portions of the layout without spending stock cards.
Alternate attention between sections: Try not to fully clear one half of the diamond too early. Keeping options open in both sections maximizes your playable choices as the stock thins.
Reevaluate after every reveal: Each newly flipped card can dramatically change your options. Pause after revealing a card to check whether it improves your sequence.
Plan ahead as the stock dwindles: The last few stock cards often determine success. Think several moves ahead to ensure that critical ranks will still be playable near the end.
Use hints or undo: These tools help explore alternate sequences and avoid burning through the stock prematurely.

Why Play Diamond Solitaire?

Diamond Solitaire is ideal for players who enjoy rank-matching solitaire games but want a fresh layout with a more strategic reveal pattern. Its split diamond structure creates two evolving mini-puzzles that keep each game dynamic, thoughtful, and rewarding. Whether you’re aiming for long runs, clever reveals, or simply a quick and engaging session, Diamond Solitaire delivers a clean blend of simplicity and depth. You can play Diamond Solitaire and many other solitaire games for free at Solitaire Land.