Yukon Solitaire

Yukon Solitaire is the Klondike cousin with one big twist: any face-up card can move, and every card on top of it goes along, even if those cards are in no order at all. There’s no stock, so the game comes down to how well you read the columns. Play Yukon Solitaire online free in your browser, with no download or sign-up, on desktop or on your phone.

How to play

The deal uses one 52-card deck, all of it dealt into seven columns. The first column has a single face-up card. The other six hold 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 cards, with 1 to 6 face-down cards at the bottom and five face-up cards on top. Above the columns are four empty foundations, one for each suit.

• Building: columns build down in alternating colors. A red 9 can go on a black 10, and a black Jack on a red Queen.
• Moving stacks: you can pick up any face-up card. Every card on top of it moves too, in whatever order it’s in. Only the card you picked up has to fit where you drop it.
• Empty columns: only a King can go into an empty column, together with any cards on top of it.
• Face-down cards: when you move the last face-up card off a face-down card, it turns face up on its own.
• Foundations: each one builds up in one suit from Ace to King. Only the top card of a column can go home.
• Winning: get all 52 cards onto the foundations. If no legal move is left, the game ends.

Controls

Drag a face-up card to move it with everything on top of it, or tap a card and then tap the column or foundation where it should go. Double-click or double-tap a top card to send it home. On a keyboard, press a column number (1 to 7) and then another column number or F. Z undoes, H shows a hint and P pauses the clock. On a phone, the overlap between cards shrinks as a column grows, so long columns stay on screen.

Options and features

• Russian Solitaire: switch the rules to Russian to build down in the same suit instead of alternating colors. Everything else stays the same, and it’s much harder to win.
• Auto-move: with auto-move on, cards go to the foundations by themselves once no other card could still need them. Turn it off if you’d rather make every move yourself.
• Unlimited undo: take back as many moves as you like, all the way to the deal.
• Hint: suggests a move that makes progress, such as turning over a face-down card. It only uses cards you can already see.
• Deal numbers: every deal has a number from 1 to 999999 you can replay or share, and the Daily deal gives everyone the same cards for the day.
• Stats: wins, win streak, fewest moves and fastest time are saved in your browser for each rule set, along with any game in progress.

Strategy tips

• Turn over face-down cards first. Moves that uncover a card are almost always worth more than moves that only tidy up face-up cards.
• Use the stack move to dig. If the card you need is buried, move a card above it that fits somewhere else, and everything on top goes with it.
• Plan for Kings. An empty column only helps if a King can use it, so don’t clear one until a King is ready. The best King to move is one sitting on face-down cards.

FAQ

Is Yukon Solitaire free to play?

Yes. It’s free with no account and no install.

How is Yukon different from Klondike?

Yukon deals every card to the tableau, so there’s no stock to draw from, and you can move any face-up card along with the cards on top of it even if they’re out of order. In Klondike Solitaire you draw from a stock, and the face-up cards in a column always form an ordered run.

What is Russian Solitaire?

Russian Solitaire uses the same deal and stack moves as Yukon, but columns build down in the same suit, so only the 9 of hearts fits on the 10 of hearts. Choose “Russian (same suit)” from the rules menu to play it.

Is every Yukon deal winnable?

No. Some deals can’t be solved however you play, and Russian deals are lost far more often. Undo lets you back up and try another line.

Does it work on a phone or Chromebook?

Yes. The table resizes to fit small screens, and you can drag stacks or tap to move them.

Want the full rules and history? Read our guide on how to play Yukon Solitaire. If you like having every card in view, try FreeCell next.