FreeCell supermove calculator
Choose how many free cells and tableau columns are empty. If the sequence is moving into an empty column, switch that option on so the destination column is not counted as working space. The calculator shows the effective maximum for standard FreeCell, where a legal descending, alternating-colour sequence can contain at most 13 cards.
The supermove formula
When moving a valid descending, alternating-colour sequence onto a non-empty tableau column, the theoretical supermove capacity is:
Each empty free cell adds one unit of basic carrying capacity. Each usable empty tableau column can double that capacity.
In standard FreeCell, a legal descending sequence can contain at most 13 cards, from King down to Ace. So the effective maximum movable sequence is min(13, theoretical supermove capacity).
If the destination is itself an empty column, that destination cannot also be used as temporary working space. Subtract one from the number of empty columns before applying the formula.
The capacity calculation only tells you how many cards can be transported. The cards must still form a legal descending, alternating-colour sequence, and the destination must accept the bottom card.
Edge case: a standard FreeCell tableau has eight columns. If seven are empty, the remaining occupied column must be the source, so any tableau destination is necessarily one of the empty columns and must be excluded from the working-space count.
Examples
| Empty free cells | Usable empty columns | Theoretical capacity | Effective max |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 1 card | 1 card |
| 2 | 0 | 3 cards | 3 cards |
| 4 | 0 | 5 cards | 5 cards |
| 2 | 1 | 6 cards | 6 cards |
| 4 | 1 | 10 cards | 10 cards |
| 4 | 2 | 20 cards | 13 cards |
Why this matters strategically
The formula explains why empty columns are so powerful. Filling one free cell reduces your basic carrying capacity by one card. Losing a usable empty column halves the theoretical supermove capacity.
Once the theoretical capacity is already 13 or higher, losing an empty column may not immediately reduce the effective maximum shown for standard FreeCell. Even so, preserving empty columns remains valuable because they give you more flexibility for rearranging the tableau.
That means a move that clears a whole tableau column can be more valuable than a move that simply sends one card to a foundation.
Moving into an empty column is different
Suppose you have four empty free cells and one empty tableau column. Moving onto a non-empty destination gives you capacity for 10 cards. But if that one empty column is the destination, it cannot help stage the move, so your capacity falls back to 5.
This is a common reason a sequence looks movable in theory but is rejected when you try to drop it into an empty column.
Use the number before you commit to the line
If you know a position will require moving a six-card sequence, preserve enough capacity to make that move later. The calculator is most useful before the board gets cramped, not after every free cell is already occupied.
Read the full FreeCell strategy guide →