To access FreeCell Gameplay Rules in the app, tap anywhere on the game screen to raise the bottom menu bar, where you will see the Rules button in the bottom right corner of the screen.

 

The object of the game is to build up the four foundations in ascending suit sequence from Ace to King. i.e. Ace, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, J, Q, K with cards of identical suit.

 

 

You can move the open card at the end of each cascade column to an empty free cell at any time to access the card beneath, but it's a good idea to keep the free cells empty for as long as possible. As each Ace becomes available it may be transferred to one of the four foundations. The foundations are built up in ascending suit sequence from Ace to the King.

 

You may move an exposed card from the end of a cascade column, or from a free cell, to another cascade column if it will form a descending sequence of alternating colors, i.e. 2 on 3 or Q on K just like Klondike Solitaire. Empty spaces in the cascades can be filled by any card, but don't waste them, as empty cascades can become very useful with power moves, as explained below. Continue rearranging the cards until all the suits are moved up to the foundations and the game is won.

 

 

Although the rules of FreeCell allow you to move just one card at a time, empty free cells, and empty columns, allow you to move an entire sequence of cards with one move. To give you a visual example of how empty free cells and empty cascades are used to move more than one card at a time, the free cells and empty cascades that were used to move a sequence of cards will glow white briefly after a successful power move. If the move you're trying to make is not possible, due to a lack of available free cells and cascades, then the cells needed to make the move will briefly glow red.

 

If you don't have any empty cascades, then the maximum number of cards you can move is equal to the number of empty free cells, plus one. This number doubles for every empty cascade (unless you're moving the sequence to an empty cascade, then that cascade doesn't count). An empty cascade column acts like an extra free cell, with the additional ability to hold more than one card at a time (a portion of the sequence you're trying to move). For example, if you have four empty free cells and an empty cascade, you can move a sequence of ten cards, rather than five.

 

Here's a reference to help you see the maximum number of movable cards in a sequence, based on the available empty free cells and empty cascades:

 

EMPTY COLUMNS  | EMPTY FREE CELLS  | CARD SEQUENCE LENGTH