How to Play Double Russian Solitaire
This game is a version of Russian Solitaire but played with two decks of cards. Russian Solitaire is a variation of Yukon but cards are sequenced by the same suit.
Objective
The goal is to move all 104 cards from the tableau to the foundation from Ace to King by suit.
The Setup and Play Area
The foundation: These are the 8 empty piles at the top of the game. Place cards here from the tableau in order by suit, starting with Aces and ending with Kings.
The tableau: This is the area with 10 columns. The first column has 5 cards. The second column has 7 cards, and each subsequent column has one more card, totaling 104 cards. In the first column, all cards are face-up, and in the next 9 columns, the last 6 cards are face-up with the rest of the cards face-down.
Available moves
- Sequence cards in descending order by suit. For example, you can move a 6 of Diamonds on top of a 7 of Diamonds in a different tableau column.
- If you move a card and a face-down card remains, that card is flipped over and is now playable.
- A group of cards, whether they are sequenced or not, can be moved to another tableau column as long as the top card of that group is one rank lower and the same suit as the card it’s being placed on.
- Kings, and cards below a King, can be moved to an empty tableau column.
- As cards free up, they can be moved to the foundation by suit in order, starting with Aces. For instance, if an Ace of Spades is playable, it can be moved to the foundation. If a 2 of Spades is later playable, it can be moved on top of the Ace of Spades in the foundation.
- You win when all cards from the tableau are placed in the foundation.
- You lose if you cannot move all the cards into the foundation.
Strategy
- Prioritize moving cards to reveal the face-down cards, making them playable. The more cards you can see, the more options you have to make moves.
- Move cards to the foundation quickly. This will free up more cards to play in the tableau.
- Try and clear the tableau column towards the beginning of the game, allowing you to move Kings to those empty columns.
- The first visible sequence may not always be the best one. Plan out your moves to remove as many cards as possible from the tableau.
- Try to build the foundations evenly. If one foundation is built immediately in the game, you now have fewer cards of that color to help you sequence.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the odds of winning Russian Solitaire?
When looking at 11,234 games played, only 423 were won, or 3.7%. This makes the game easier than Russian Solitaire with one deck, which has a win rate of 3%. This is because Double Russian has twice as many cards and therefore has more building opportunities.
What are similar solitaire games to try?
Try Yukon, Double Yukon, and Russian Solitaire.
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