Kings in FreeCell are the most restrictive cards in the game. A King cannot be placed on any other card in the tableau, so it can only move to a free cell, an empty column, or the foundation. This makes every decision about where to put a King critical. A King at the bottom of a column is an asset that never needs to move. A King buried anywhere else in a column is a hazard that blocks access to cards beneath it. An empty column can hold a King, but that costs you move capacity. The goal is to keep Kings from becoming obstacles while using their immobility to your advantage.
The Four Kings and How They Appear
There are 4 Kings in the 52 card deck. The deal creates 8 columns: the first four hold 7 cards, the last four hold 6 cards. A King can appear anywhere in any column. Where it lands determines how much trouble it will cause. A King dealt at the bottom (first card) of a column never needs to move. That is the best possible position. A King dealt in the middle or on top of a column forces you to plan around it.
Bottom of the Column the Safe Spot
A King at the bottom of a column is a permanent foundation card. Because a King cannot be placed on any other card, it blocks nothing below it. It simply sits there until its suit is complete and you move it to the foundation. This is the ideal outcome for any King.
If you have a King at the bottom, build the rest of the column on top of it normally. The King acts as a stable base. You never have to worry about moving it or freeing up space for it. This is the one case where a King requires no action from you.
What to do when a King is not at the bottom
If a King is dealt above the bottom card, you have a buried King. This is a hazard. The cards below that King are stuck until the King is moved. You cannot move those cards to other columns or to the foundation while the King sits on top of them. The only ways to free them are to move the King to a free cell, an empty column, or the foundation.
Buried Kings the Hazard You Must Clear
A buried King is a King that has at least one card below it in the same column. The cards beneath it are blocked. You cannot reach them until the King is relocated. This is the most common source of deadlock in FreeCell solitaire.
There are three ways to clear a buried King:
- Move it to a free cell
- Move it to an empty column
- Move it directly to the foundation if its suit is complete
If the King goes to a free cell, that cell is now occupied. A King parked in a free cell blocks that cell until an empty column appears or its suit is complete. That means you lose the use of that free cell for other moves. If the King goes to an empty column, you lose the move capacity that column provided.
The worst case is a buried King with no free cells and no empty columns. In that situation you cannot move the King at all. The only way out is to complete the King's suit by placing the other three cards of that suit onto the foundation, which allows you to move the King directly. That is a slow process.
How to avoid burying a King
Never place a card on top of a King unless you have a plan to move that King soon. If you build on a King, you create a buried King for yourself. Only do this if you have a free cell or empty column ready to receive the King later. Otherwise, leave the King exposed so you can move it when needed.
Empty Columns and the King Trade Off
In FreeCell any card may fill an empty column, including a King. A King placed there never has to leave until it goes to the foundation. That sounds convenient, but it costs you move capacity.
The number of cards you can move is (free cells + 1) x 2 to the power of the empty columns. Each empty column doubles your move capacity. Using an empty column for a King reduces your move capacity by half. That is a steep price.
So when should you spend an empty column on a King? Only when the alternative is worse. For example:
- If a buried King is blocking multiple cards and you have no free cells, an empty column is your only option to free them.
- If you have more than one empty column, using one for a King might be acceptable because you still have at least one empty column left for doubling.
- If the King is at the bottom of a column, do not move it to an empty column. It already has a perfect home.
Use an empty column for a King only when you must, not when it is convenient. An empty column is more valuable as a multiplier than as a parking spot.
Free Cells and Kings a Temporary Solution
A free cell can hold a King, but that cell is then blocked until the King leaves. A King parked in a free cell blocks that cell until an empty column appears or its suit is complete. This means you lose the use of that free cell for other moves.
Free cells are your primary tool for moving sequences of cards. Losing one to a King reduces your flexibility. Use free cells for Kings only when you have at least one other free cell available for normal play. If you have only one free cell, putting a King there stops all multi card moves until the King is gone.
A better option is to move the King to an empty column if you have one, because at least then the free cell remains available. If you have no empty columns, a free cell is your only choice. In that case, try to complete the King's suit quickly so you can move it to the foundation and free the cell.
When to Move a King to the Foundation Early
Move a King to the foundation as soon as its suit is complete (the Ace, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, Jack, and Queen of that suit are already there). That is the ideal outcome. The King leaves the tableau entirely and no longer occupies any space.
If you have a King in a free cell or an empty column, completing its suit should be a priority. That frees up the cell or column for other use. If you have a buried King, completing the suit is the only way to remove it without using a free cell or empty column.
Do not delay moving a King to the foundation once its suit is complete. The King cannot help you build anything. It only occupies space. Send it to the foundation as soon as possible.
Summary King Placement Priorities
Here is the order of preference for where to park a King:
- Leave it at the bottom of a column. It never needs to move.
- Move it to the foundation as soon as its suit is complete.
- Move it to an empty column only if you have at least one other empty column remaining.
- Move it to a free cell only if you have at least one other free cell available.
- Never build cards on top of a King unless you have a plan to move it soon.
Follow these priorities and you will avoid the most common King related deadlocks. A buried King is a hazard, a bottom of the column King is an asset, and an empty column spent on a King is a significant cost. Plan your King moves with the same care you give to any other card.
For more on general column strategy, see the empty column article on freecellsolitaire.info.