Solitaire
Pounce at a glance
Pounce is a simultaneous solitaire race closely related to Nertz, with a compact nine-card reserve and five work columns. Both players compete for the same foundation spaces in real time.
The extra work column changes the rhythm of the board and creates more places to organize cards. Clear the reserve, call Pounce, and let the table calculate the final score.
- Players
- 2 · Head to head
- Layout
- 9-card reserve
- Play
- Simultaneous
- Goal
- Highest round score
How to play Pounce online
Play free in your browser, with no download or account required. Choose the kind of table you want to join.
Practice with computers
Choose this game in the multiplayer lobby, set a computer pace, and select Play the computer. Use Show a move when you need help finding a move.
Invite your friends
Create a private table from the multiplayer lobby and share its invite link or room code with your opponent.
Find an online opponent
Choose Find an online opponent to look for other people. If no matching players are available, you can practice with computers instead.
Computer games also need an internet connection. The table handles dealing, legal moves, and scoring. These rules describe the version played here; other tables may use different house rules.
Rules of Pounce
Starting layout
Each player starts with a nine-card reserve, five work piles, stock and waste.
Building cards
Both players move simultaneously and build work piles downward in alternating colors.
Shared foundations
Shared foundations build upward by suit from Ace to King.
Empty columns
A reserve card may fill an empty work column; otherwise an empty column begins with a King.
Scoring and winning
Calling and scoring
Clear your reserve and call Pounce. Score foundation contributions minus two points for each reserve card remaining.
Clearing your reserve lets you call the round, but does not guarantee the win. Compare the final scores: foundation contributions minus two points for each reserve card left.
How to get better at Pounce
Tip 1
Use the fifth work column to uncover the reserve rather than simply storing convenient cards.
Tip 2
Look for reserve-to-empty-column moves that would be illegal from another source.
Tip 3
Keep scanning the center because both players can unlock foundation moves for each other.
Frequently asked questions
Is Pounce the same as Nertz?
It belongs to the same simultaneous solitaire family, but this version uses five work columns and a nine-card reserve.
Do players take turns in Pounce?
No. Both players act at the same time until someone clears the reserve and calls the round.
How is Pounce scored?
Each foundation card you contributed earns one point, and each card remaining in your reserve subtracts two points.
Can I play Pounce against the computer?
Yes. Choose an easy, medium or hard computer pace, or play another person online.
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