Aces Up - How to Play Aces Up

Aces Up

Aces Up is a simple solitaire where you discard lower cards when a higher card of the same suit is visible. The goal is to end with only the four Aces remaining.

1 players 52 cards Easy Low strategy Short 5.5/10 popularity

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♠ Quick Reference
Goal
Remove all cards except the four Aces.
Setup
  1. Deal 4 cards face-up in a row.
  2. Remaining 48 cards form the stock.
On Your Turn
  1. Remove any face-up card if a higher card of the same suit is also face-up (Aces are highest).
  2. Move any face-up card to an empty column.
  3. Deal 4 new cards (one per pile) from the stock when no moves remain.
Scoring
  • Win by ending with only the four Aces remaining.
  • Win rate is about 5-10% despite simple rules.
Tip: Move Aces to empty columns to protect them and create space for same-suit comparisons.
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Rules

Aces Up is a simple solitaire game where you eliminate cards from four piles whenever a lower card of the same suit exists beneath a higher one. The goal is to end with only the four Aces remaining.

Objective

Remove all cards except the four Aces by discarding lower-ranked cards when a higher card of the same suit is visible.

Setup
  1. Players: 1 player.
  2. Deck: Standard 52-card deck.
  3. Layout: Deal 4 cards face-up in a row.
  4. Stock: Remaining 48 cards in a draw pile.
Gameplay
  1. Removing Cards: If two face-up cards share the same suit, the lower-ranked one can be removed (discarded from the game). Aces are always highest.
  2. Empty Spaces: Any face-up card can be moved to an empty column. This is your main strategic tool.
  3. Dealing: When no more moves are available, deal 4 new cards (one on each pile) from the stock.
  4. Continue: Keep removing and dealing until the stock is empty and no more moves are possible.
Tips and Strategies
  • Create empty columns strategically to maneuver cards and expose same-suit comparisons.
  • Move Aces to empty columns to protect them and free up their original positions.
  • Plan ahead before dealing new cards — once dealt, they may block useful cards.
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Tips & Strategy

Empty columns are the key to success. Use them to isolate Aces and create opportunities for same-suit comparisons.

The key decision is when to create empty columns and what to move into them. Aces and high cards should be protected in empty spaces.

Trivia & Fun Facts

The win rate for Aces Up is estimated around 5-10%, making it harder than it looks despite the very simple rules.

In Aces Up, which four cards should ideally remain at the end of a successful game?

History & Culture

Aces Up has been a popular quick solitaire game for over a century, valued for its simplicity and fast pace.

Aces Up is a popular quick-play solitaire often used to pass a few minutes, valued for requiring no setup beyond dealing four cards.

Variations & House Rules

Some versions allow moving any card to empty columns, not just the top card. This significantly increases the win rate.

Allow moving any card (not just top cards) to empty columns for a more forgiving experience.

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