The rest of the page: everything that changes in Draw 3 — stock mechanic, scoring penalty, odds, and the 5 tactics that actually move the win rate.
- 6 min read
- Draw 3 specific
- Scored + Vegas
Updated April 2026
What is Draw 3?
In Draw 3 (also called Turn 3) you flip cards from the stock in groups of three. Only the top of the three is available for play. If you play that card, the one beneath it becomes available. If you do not play it, all three go to the waste as a packet and you flip the next three. This is the mode Microsoft shipped with Windows as "standard" scored Solitaire, and the one most competitive players mean when they say "Klondike".
How Draw 3 differs from Draw 1
The setup, the tableau rules, the foundation rules, and the win condition are identical. Only the stock behaviour changes. In Draw 1 you see every card in order and can always reach any stock card. In Draw 3 you see every third card by default, which means roughly two-thirds of the stock is hidden from you on any given pass. Planning which cards to take now versus which to leave for a later cycle is the entire skill gap.
| Draw 1 | Draw 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Cards turned per draw | 1 | 3 (only top card playable) |
| Recycle penalty (scored) | 0 points | −20 points per recycle |
| Difficulty | Relaxed | Hard |
Scoring and the recycle penalty
On StillDeck, moving a card from the tableau to a foundation earns +10 points; moving one directly from the waste to a foundation earns +15. Waste to tableau earns +5, and uncovering a face-down card earns +5. Returning a foundation card to the tableau has no point penalty. Each Draw 3 stock recycle deducts 20 points, with the score never falling below zero.
Odds of winning
Your win rate depends on the rules, deal selection and your decisions. Compare games played with the same draw mode and difficulty; a solvable deal does not guarantee a win.
Draw 3 strategy that actually moves the needle
Use these five checks to plan your stock moves and the cards they expose.
- Count your passes. Before every stock tap, ask: "how many more recycles can I afford before the scoring penalty eats my lead?" In Vegas, you get three. In scored Draw 3, two or three is the sweet spot.
- Note what you saw. When a useful card cycles past unreachable, remember its position in the three-card packet. On the next cycle, line up a tableau move so that card lands on top instead of buried.
- Chain moves before touching the stock. Every face-down card you can flip using existing tableau options is a move you did not have to buy with a recycle. Exhaust the tableau first, stock second.
- Do not open a tableau column unless you have a King queued. Empty columns are leverage in Draw 3 — they let you park sequences while you fetch buried cards — but only if you can fill them. An orphaned empty column is a wasted slot.
- Hold mid-rank cards on the tableau longer than you think.
Draw 3 FAQ
Is Draw 3 the same as Turn 3?
Yes. "Draw 3", "Turn 3", and "Three-card Klondike" are three names for the same variant. The terminology shifts by platform: Microsoft used "Draw Three", some apps say "Turn 3", classic books say "Three-card".
Can you switch from Draw 3 to Draw 1 mid-game?
Not in classical rules. The deal is set at the start. On StillDeck you can change the draw mode in Settings, but that starts a new deal — you cannot convert a stuck Draw 3 mid-game into an easier Draw 1.
What is a good Draw 3 win rate?
Your win rate depends on the rules, deal selection and your decisions. Compare games played with the same draw mode and difficulty; a solvable deal does not guarantee a win.
Does undo count as cheating in Draw 3?
Not on StillDeck. Traditional scored rules penalise taking a card back off a foundation, but generous undo is how modern players learn Draw 3 faster. We do not deduct points for undo — we deduct for the stock recycle, which is the actual strategic choice.
How many passes through the stock do I get in Draw 3?
On StillDeck, Draw 3 stock recycles are unlimited. Each recycle deducts 20 points, without taking the score below zero. StillDeck does not offer a Vegas mode or a Vegas scoring toggle.
What is the best Draw 3 strategy?
Count your passes, note what cycles past unreachable, chain tableau moves before tapping the stock, never open a column without a King queued, and hold mid-rank cards (5-7) on the tableau longer than you would in Draw 1.