FreeCell & open packers · The Observatory
Seahaven Towers
Ten columns, two initially occupied cells, same-suit builds, and King-only empty columns.
Seed111917
Moves0
Timer00:00
Statusin progress
Streak0
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What is Seahaven Towers?
Seahaven Towers is a single-deck open-tableau game. It has cells for temporary storage and four foundations to build up by suit, but the tableau rules are stricter — builds must be in the same suit rather than alternating colors, and only Kings may be placed on empty columns.
Ten columns provide more potential staging space, while two cells start occupied. Their opening cards can restrict the first moves until either finds a destination.
Full rules
A standard 52-card deck is shuffled and dealt five cards face-up to each of ten tableau columns. The remaining two cards are placed face-up in the two free cells. The four foundation piles start empty.
- Tableau: Build down in the same suit. For example, only the 9♠ can go on the 10♠.
- Empty columns: Only a King, or a same-suit sequence headed by a King, may be placed on an empty column.
- Free cells: Each free cell holds exactly one card. Cards in free cells may be moved to a valid tableau column or directly to a foundation.
- Foundations: Build each suit up from Ace to King. Once placed on a foundation, a card cannot be moved back.
- Multi-card moves: You may move a sequence of same-suit consecutive cards as a single move, subject to the supermove limit: (empty cells + 1) × 2^(usable empty columns). An empty destination does not count as a staging column.
Win by moving all 52 cards to the four foundation piles.
Strategy tips
Unlike FreeCell, you cannot build across suits — so sequences lock in early. Plan each move with the current suit runs in mind before committing to a direction.
Guard your free cells carefully. With only two, they fill up fast. Try to use them as a last resort rather than a first move, and always have a plan to empty them again before your next blockage.
The King restriction on empty columns means you can't dump any card there when stuck. Only move a non-King sequence off a column if you have a King ready to take that spot, or if you can genuinely benefit from the empty space.
Look for Aces and low cards trapped under high-rank same-suit cards. Freeing a buried Ace or 2 early is often worth several shuffling moves.
Seahaven Towers vs. FreeCell
Both games use the same goal — build four foundations A→K — and the same supermove formula for shifting sequences. The key differences:
- FreeCell has 8 tableau columns and 4 free cells; Seahaven Towers has 10 columns but only 2 free cells.
- FreeCell builds alternating color; Seahaven Towers builds same suit.
- FreeCell allows any card on an empty column; Seahaven Towers restricts empty columns to Kings.
FreeCell-family games
- FreeCell — 8 columns, 4 free cells, alternating-color builds
- Spider Solitaire — two-deck same-suit builds
- Yukon — no free cells; move any face-up sequence
- Gaps (Montana) — arrange cards in suit runs on a fixed grid
Reference
Related games
Seahaven Towers is part of The Observatory · FreeCell & open packers and is a variant of FreeCell.
More FreeCell & open packers games
- FreeCell — All cards visible. Use the four cells.
- Penguin — FreeCell-style play with seven flipper cells.
- Baker’s Dozen — Thirteen columns with kings sunk to bottom.
- Bisley — Build by suit in either direction toward eight foundations.
- Castles in Spain — Partly covered columns with alternating-color sequence moves.
- Good Measure — Ten columns of five with two Aces already on foundations.
Also try
- Gaps — Fill four rows of gaps to build 2–K suit runs. No aces, three passes.
- Klondike — The patience everyone knows. Draw 1 or 3.
- Beleaguered Castle — Eight columns flanking four aces.