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TriPeaks Scoring System: How Points Actually Work
TriPeaks is one of the few solitaire variants where scoring is a meaningful skill differentiator. In Klondike you either win or lose; the point total mostly tracks time. In TriPeaks, two players can both clear all three peaks in the same time but score wildly different point totals based on combo execution. Here's how the scoring actually works.
Core Scoring Rule
Each peak card you remove is worth points based on its position in the current combo chain:
- 1st card in chain: 1 point
- 2nd card: 2 points
- 3rd card: 3 points
- Nth card: N points
Flipping the stock pile resets the chain counter to 1. So the math heavily rewards uninterrupted runs.
Why the Math Heavily Favors Long Chains
Sum of integers 1 to N equals N×(N+1)/2. Practical scores:
| Chain length | Total points | Per-card avg |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | 6 | 2.0 |
| 5 | 15 | 3.0 |
| 8 | 36 | 4.5 |
| 10 | 55 | 5.5 |
| 15 | 120 | 8.0 |
| 28 (perfect) | 406 | 14.5 |
Doubling chain length more than doubles total points. A perfect no-stock-flip clear of all 28 peak cards scores 14× what 28 isolated removals score.
Peak Clear Bonuses
Most implementations award bonuses when you clear an entire peak:
- First peak cleared: +15 points
- Second peak: +15 points
- Third peak (all clear): +30 points + bonus equal to cards remaining in stock
Completing all three peaks is sometimes called a "clean sweep" and is the highest-scoring single outcome in TriPeaks.
Stock Penalties
Each stock flip resets your combo. Some scoring variants additionally apply:
- -5 per stock flip (in stricter variants)
- -2 per second elapsed (time-pressured variants)
Standard online TriPeaks usually skips per-flip penalties to keep the game friendly. Casino variants apply them aggressively.
What Counts as a Good Score
| Skill level | Typical score |
|---|---|
| First-time player | ~50-100 |
| Casual | ~150-250 |
| Strong | ~300-450 |
| Expert | 500-650 |
| Theoretical maximum (perfect chain + stock bonus) | ~700-800 |
How to Maximize Your Score
- Chain at all costs. A 10-card chain scores 55. The same 10 cards in two 5-card chains score 30. The difference comes back game after game.
- Plan two-three peaks ahead. Don't commit a removal that breaks an obvious longer chain.
- Hoard the stock. Every flip = chain reset. Treat stock flips as a last resort.
- Maximize remaining stock at clear. The "cards remaining in stock" bonus at end-of-game scales with how few stock flips you used.
Variant Scoring Modes
Common variations:
- Casino TriPeaks: Per-flip penalty + bigger combo bonuses + cash-out structure.
- Time Attack: Lower combo bonuses but heavy time penalty. Rewards speed.
- Solitaire-friendly: No penalties, generous bonuses, every hand feels rewarding.
- Tournament: Same daily seed for every player; comparable scores.
Play Now
Try the combo math on the main TriPeaks game. Your high score is saved. After 10-15 sessions, you should see a steady upward trend as combo-planning becomes intuitive.