Why are the Kings moved at start?

Kings are moved to the bottom of their columns at the deal so they don't block lower-ranking cards above them. A King at the top of a column is permanent dead weight in Baker's Dozen — there's no way to lift it onto another column (build-down regardless of suit doesn't include rank-wrap), and no foundation accepts it until 12 same-suit cards are already there.

Can I move groups of cards?

No. Only one card at a time. Baker's Dozen has no super-move equivalent — every transfer is a single card. This is the rule that makes the game challenging despite all cards being visible from the start.

What about empty columns?

Empty columns cannot be filled. Once a column empties, the slot is gone for the rest of the game. This makes emptying a column a one-way commitment — only do it when you have a clear plan that benefits from the move.

Are all Baker's Dozen deals winnable?

Most are with skilled play. The all-face-up start removes luck-of-the-draw, and the build-anywhere tableau rule gives more flexibility than same-suit variants. Practical win rates with skilled play are roughly 60–75%.

Where does the name come from?

The 13 tableau columns are a baker's dozen — the colloquial term for thirteen. The name has nothing to do with C. L. Baker (whose namesake game, Baker's Game, is the FreeCell predecessor). The two games share only the surname coincidence.

Baker's Dozen Solitaire — Free online (no stock)

Play Baker's Dozen Solitaire — Thirteen Columns, No Stock, Single-Card Moves

Baker's Dozen is a single-deck patience with all 52 cards face-up from the start. Thirteen tableau columns of four cards each — that's where the name comes from — and no stock or reserve to draw from. You build the tableau down regardless of suit, but only one card at a time. Kings sink to the bottom of their columns at the start, which keeps them out of the way. The all-face-up open information makes Baker's Dozen a pure planning puzzle. Free in your browser, no sign-up. Works offline once the page has loaded.

How Do You Play Baker's Dozen?

Goal: build all four foundations from Ace to King by suit.

Setup

Tableau: 13 columns of four cards each (52 cards), all face-up.
Kings: at start, all Kings are moved to the bottom of their columns to keep them from blocking.
Foundations: four empty piles. Build up by suit, Ace to King.
No stock, no waste, no reserves.

Rules

Build tableau columns down regardless of suit. A 7 of any suit goes on an 8 of any suit.
Move one card at a time. No group moves.
Foundations build up by suit, Ace to King.
Empty columns cannot be filled. Once a column empties, the slot is gone.

What's the Best Baker's Dozen Strategy?

Send Aces and 2s up immediately. They start the foundations and free the cards above them. There's never a reason to keep them in the tableau.
Don't empty columns gratuitously. Empty columns are permanent — the space is gone forever. Only empty a column when you have a clear plan that benefits from the open structure of the move.
Plan five moves ahead. Every card is visible. The puzzle is figuring out the order, not finding the cards. Trace consequences before committing.
Mind which cards block which. A 4 buried under three high cards is a 4 you may never reach. If both other 3s and the matching 4s are blocked, you've lost.
Use the build-anywhere rule. Build-down regardless of suit gives you more placement options than same-suit games. Use that mobility to expose the right buried cards.
Send middle ranks up cautiously. 5s, 6s, 7s and 8s are the most useful tableau cards. Sending one up early can leave a higher card stranded with no resting place.

A Short History

Baker's Dozen is a 19th-century single-deck patience that appears in many anthologies. The name refers to the 13 tableau columns — a baker's dozen — not to a person. The variant has stayed in print since at least the early 20th century and is included in many modern multi-game digital collections. Its fixed structure (no stock, no reserves, single-card moves) makes it one of the purest open-information solitaires.

About This Version

This Baker's Dozen runs in your browser — free, no download, no sign-up. Install as an app on your phone or computer; once installed it works offline. Unlimited undo, statistics, and a daily challenge that gives every player the same deal that day.

Other Solitaire Games to Try

FreeCell — every card visible with four free cells, almost every deal winnable
Beleaguered Castle — eight columns, all face-up, foundations down the middle
Spider — two decks, ten columns, suit-based sequences
Klondike — the seven-column classic with a stock pile