Double Solitaire, rules and strategy
Klondike on a larger scale: two decks of cards, nine columns, eight foundations, face-down cards to uncover and a stock to turn over. This site explains the exact rules, the strategy and won games, verified card by card. To play: Double Solitaire, on iPhone, iPad and Android.
Available on the App Store and Google Play.
Double Solitaire in a few lines
Double Solitaire is played alone, with two decks shuffled together: 104 cards, each in two copies. 45 cards form 9 columns of 1 to 9 cards: only the last card of each column is face up. The other 59 stay face down in the stock. The goal is to build all 104 cards up onto 8 foundations, two per suit, from ace to king. Despite its name, it is not a two-player game.
In the columns, you place a card on a card of the opposite color and one rank higher: a black 9 on a red 10. Each face-down card you uncover is turned over and becomes playable. The rules detail every move, and the strategy explains how to go about it.
A deal from the app
Here is the deal with code DS1-D1N-AAAAAAB as the app deals it. Paste this code into the New Game window to play it; a game won in 264 actions is detailed on the Examples page.
Stock: 59 cards; waste empty. Foundations, cards placed: 0 spades, 0 hearts, 0 diamonds, 0 clubs, 0 spades, 0 hearts, 0 diamonds, 0 clubs. Column 1: 0 face down, then 2 of hearts; column 2: 1 face down, then jack of diamonds; column 3: 2 face down, then 2 of spades; column 4: 3 face down, then 8 of spades; column 5: 4 face down, then 9 of hearts; column 6: 5 face down, then jack of clubs; column 7: 6 face down, then 9 of clubs; column 8: 7 face down, then queen of diamonds; column 9: 8 face down, then king of diamonds.
Where to start?
The rules
The setup of the 104 cards, the allowed moves, the empty column, the eight foundations, the stock, and Normal or Vegas scoring.
The strategy
Uncovering face-down cards, making use of duplicate cards, keeping room for a king: the principles that win games.
Won games
Real deals from the app with their game codes, including a game won in 264 actions, replayed move by move.
Frequently asked questions
Is it played by two people? Why eight foundations? How does Vegas mode work? Short answers.
On phone and tablet
The app is played in landscape. It offers a draw pile of 1 or 3 cards, Normal or Vegas scoring, a game code to replay or share a deal, undo for the last 200 actions, and statistics.
