Solitaire Turn 3 — Play Klondike Draw 3 Free Online
Draw 3 cards at a time for a harder, more strategic game. 11% win rate — but every win feels earned.
Select Turn 3 in the game menu after loading Klondike.
What Is Solitaire Turn 3?
Turn 3 (also called Draw 3 or Klondike 3) is the harder version of Klondike solitaire. Instead of flipping one card from the stock pile at a time, you flip three. Only the top card of the three is available to play — the other two are buried underneath it until the top card is moved or the stock is cycled.
The result is a fundamentally different game. At any moment, roughly two-thirds of your remaining stock is inaccessible. Cards you need may be locked behind other cards for an entire cycle. To win consistently, you need to understand exactly where every card is in the deck — and plan moves specifically to change those positions.
Turn 3 was the default in Microsoft Solitaire for many years before Turn 1 became available. Many experienced players prefer it for the depth of strategy it requires. With a practical win rate around 11%, it rewards patience and planning far more than Turn 1.
Turn 1 vs Turn 3: Key Differences
| Aspect | Turn 1 | Turn 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Cards flipped at once | 1 | 3 |
| Stock cards accessible | All (top card) | 1 in 3 at a time |
| Practical win rate | ~33% | ~11% |
| Theoretical win rate | ~79% | ~82% |
| Skill ceiling | Medium | Very high |
| Card counting value | Low | Very high |
| Average game length | Shorter | Longer |
| Beginner-friendly | Yes | No |
Turn 3 Strategy: How to Win More Often
Count your deck position
In Turn 3, the position of every card in the stock is fixed until you play or skip a card. After one full cycle, you know exactly which position each card occupies. The card that will be on top next cycle is three positions ahead of the current top card. Knowing this lets you deliberately change positions by playing — or deliberately not playing — specific cards.
Shape the deck, not just the tableau
Turn 1 players focus almost entirely on the tableau. Turn 3 requires equal attention to the stock deck's state. Before playing a card from the stock, ask: does playing this card improve or worsen the position of the card I actually need on the next cycle? Sometimes skipping a playable card is the right move.
Prioritize uncovering kings early
Empty tableau columns can only be filled by Kings. With Turn 3 limiting your stock access, empty columns become a bottleneck faster than in Turn 1. Getting Kings into empty columns early opens the tableau for the sequences you need to build.
Don't rush foundations
In Turn 1, moving low cards to foundations quickly is usually safe. In Turn 3, keeping Aces and 2s in the tableau can be strategically valuable — they give you more places to route cards from the stock, keeping the tableau flexible while you wait for buried stock cards to cycle to the top.
Track which Turn 1 cards are buried
Many positions that are easily won in Turn 1 become unwinnable in Turn 3 because the one card you need is stuck two positions deep in the stock. Before giving up, complete at least two full stock cycles to confirm the card you need isn't coming — sometimes it's just a cycle away.
Accept a lower win rate — and enjoy the wins
Even with perfect play, Turn 3 has a lower practical win rate than Turn 1. Some deals are simply unwinnable given the stock order and tableau layout. The satisfaction of winning Turn 3 is higher precisely because it's harder. Don't measure yourself against Turn 1 benchmarks.
How to Play Turn 3 on Mr. Solitaire
Open Klondike Solitaire and select Turn 3 in the game menu before starting a new game. The draw mode can be changed at any time between games. Turn 3 mode uses the same board layout as Turn 1 — seven tableau columns, four foundations, one stock — with only the draw rule changed.
Our implementation includes unlimited stock cycling, undo, and the same daily challenge format available in Turn 1. The leaderboard tracks Turn 3 wins separately so your Turn 3 record stands on its own.
More Challenging Solitaire Games
If Turn 3 appeals to you, these variants offer similar strategic depth.
Yukon
No stock. Move any face-up group. ~70% win rate.
FreeCell
All cards visible. Every move matters. ~99.999% solvable.
Spider 4-Suit
Two decks, four suits. The hardest classic variant.
Scorpion
Move any face-up group. ~15% win rate.
Forty Thieves
Two decks, one card at a time. ~8% win rate.
Canfield
The casino game. ~3% win rate.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Turn 3 solitaire?
- Turn 3 (also called Draw 3 or Klondike Turn 3) is a variant of Klondike where you flip three cards from the stock pile at once instead of one. Only the top card of the three is playable, making many cards temporarily inaccessible and significantly raising the difficulty.
- What is the win rate for Turn 3 solitaire?
- Practical win rates for Turn 3 are around 11% for most players — compared to roughly 33% for Turn 1. The theoretical maximum (assuming perfect play with full knowledge of the deck) is around 82%, but reaching it in real play is extremely difficult due to the card-counting required.
- Is Turn 3 harder than Turn 1?
- Yes, significantly harder. In Turn 1 every stock card is immediately accessible. In Turn 3 only the top card of each three-card draw is playable, meaning two-thirds of your stock is buried at any moment. You also cycle through the stock at one-third the rate, giving you fewer passes per game in limited-redeal variants.
- Can you count cards in Turn 3 solitaire?
- Yes, and it's the most impactful skill in Turn 3. Because you draw three cards at a time, the position of every card in the stock is fixed (modulo how many you've played). Tracking which cards are in which positions tells you exactly when a card you need will be on top — and whether playing a different card now will change that position on the next cycle.
- How do Turn 1 strategies fail in Turn 3?
- Turn 1 strategy focuses on uncovering tableau cards and moving to foundations quickly, because every stock card is accessible on demand. In Turn 3 this approach fails because your desired stock card may be buried two positions deep. Good Turn 3 play requires deliberate "deck shaping" — playing or skipping cards specifically to bring a buried card to the top position on the next cycle.
- How many times can you go through the stock in Turn 3?
- In the standard Las Vegas variant, you can only go through the stock once. In the more common unlimited-pass variant (used on Mr. Solitaire), you can cycle through the stock as many times as needed. Unlimited redeals shift Turn 3 toward skill — you can cycle repeatedly to extract buried cards, making careful card tracking more rewarding.
Ready for the challenge?
Turn 3 is harder — and every win proves it. Play free, no sign-up needed.