What is Baker’s Game?
Baker’s Game looks much like FreeCell, but there is one key difference: you build columns downward in the same suit, not in alternating colors.[3]
How to set up the cards
Start with the following arrangement.[3]
- Deal all 52 cards face up into eight columns: four with seven cards and four with six.
- Leave four free cells (single-card holding spaces) empty, plus four foundation piles for the suits.
- All the cards are visible from the start; there is no stock.
How to play
Follow these rules for the version described here.[3]
- Build downward in the same suit: a 7 of hearts belongs on an 8 of hearts.
- Move cards one at a time, using free cells and empty columns when you need extra space.
- Each free cell holds one card.
- Only a King, or a correctly ordered group beginning with a King, may fill an empty tableau column in the version described here.
- Build the foundations upward in suit from Ace to King.
An example of a move
Suppose you uncover a 7 of hearts. You may place it on an 8 of hearts, but not on an 8 of spades.
A free cell lets you set aside a card while you make a move elsewhere. You will need to find a place for that card later.
An empty column can be useful for moving a longer group in stages, so avoid filling it without a reason.
Tips for playing
These tips can help you decide what to do next. They are suggestions, not guaranteed ways to win.
- Search for cards of the same suit that can be joined in descending order.
- Use free cells carefully: keeping one open can help you later.
- Try to uncover low cards so you can start and build the foundations.
Common mistakes
- Do not alternate red and black as you would in FreeCell.
- Avoid leaving a free cell occupied by a card that has nowhere to go.
- Before filling an empty column, ask whether you will need that space for another move.
Popular variations
The starting layout is similar to FreeCell, but Baker’s Game requires cards in a column to share a suit. That one change makes many familiar FreeCell moves unavailable.[1]
History & origins
Martin Gardner discussed a patience game associated with C. L. Baker in his “Mathematical Games” column for Scientific American in June 1968. The magazine’s original issue record confirms the date and publication.[2]
The game resembles FreeCell in its eight-column arrangement and four temporary holding spaces. Baker’s Game differs in a crucial way: columns build downward by suit, not alternating color.[3][1]
The 1968 publication is evidence that the game was known by then, not evidence that Baker himself invented it. The earlier history of the game is less firmly documented.[2]
Frequently asked questions
How is it different from FreeCell?
Tableau building requires the same suit instead of alternating colors.
Does it have hidden cards?
No. All cards are visible from the initial deal.
How many free cells?
Four, all initially empty.
What can fill an empty column?
Only a King or a King-led group in the version explained here.
Sources & further reading
- 01Paul Olav Tvete, Maren Pakura & Stephan Kulow (2021 (documentation revision)). KPatience Handbook: Rules for Individual Games.
KDE Documentation · Open-source software documentation
View source ↗ - 02Martin Gardner (1968). Mathematical Games: Combinatorial possibilities in a pack of shuffled cards.
Scientific American, 218(6), p. 112, DOI 10.1038/scientificamerican0668-112 · Contemporary primary magazine account
View source ↗ - 03Rosanna Yuen / GNOME AisleRiot project (undated). Bakers Game — game rules.
GNOME AisleRiot open-source manual · Original software rules manual
View source ↗