Russian

Play Russian Solitaire online and for free

Bored of classic solitaire? Try your hand at Russian Solitaire — with no waste or stock piles, it’s much more challenging, providing you with hours of entertainment.

Number of Cards: 52

Length: Medium

Difficulty: Difficult

Family: Yukon

Type: Half-open packer

How to Play Russian Solitaire

Russian solitaire is a variation of Yukon Solitaire.The only difference between Russian and Yukon solitaire is that the Russian version is built by suit, whereas Yukon is not.

The aim of the game is to move all cards to the foundation piles in ascending order - but expect it to be a little more challenging than classic solitaire.

Russian solitaire does not feature a stock or a waste pile. Therefore, you rely exclusively on the tableau piles - it requires a little more skill and a pinch of luck to win. Don’t rush your go!

Want to find out more on how to play solitaire? Check out our full how-to-play solitaire guide. You can always play solitaire on our homepage.

Types of Piles

Foundation piles: These are the empty piles at the beginning of the game. You’ll build them up as you go, usually starting with aces.

Tableau piles: These are the piles on the table. They are shuffled and dealt before the card game starts.

Setup

To start a new game of Russian Solitaire, first shuffle your deck of cards (and ensure it’s a full set of fifty-two).

To start, place one card on the first tableau pile, 2 on the 2nd pile, 3 on the 3rd, 4 on the 4th, and so on until you reach seven tableaus. The top card should be face-up, and the remaining cards face down.

Next, deal 4 extra face up cards on all but the first pile. 

The foundations should be empty before beginning - you will start creating these once the game begins and you take cards from the tableau piles.

You should now have used up the whole deck of cards - you’re now ready to begin.

Object

The object of the Russian solitaire game is to move all the cards to the foundations in the correct order. Each foundation is a complete suit.

Start with an ace and end with the king - it’s that simple. Whether the ace of spades or the ace of hearts, stick to the same suit and work your way through the piles.

And while it may sound straightforward, you’ll soon experience just how difficult it is with no waste or stock piles.

Rules

When playing free Russian solitaire online, whether on iPad, iPhone, or another device, the rules are automatically applied. But either way, knowing the rules helps you better understand the game.

And if you’re playing with a deck, then you’ll need to know the rules yourself.

So, what are the rules of Russian solitaire? 

• Foundations must be built-up in suit: increasing in rank (e.g., ace of hearts to King of hearts)

• Each Tableau is organized by rank and suit: this is different from Yukon, where cards are organized by alternating color.

• Groups of cards can be moved no matter the sequence: but all cards covering it must be moved together.

• There is no stock or waste card pile: this makes the game much more difficult.

• A player is allowed to “Undo” any move, however it will still count toward the total moves.

• If a player is unable to move forward, the game ends at a stand-still.

Tips

As the rules are a little more strict and challenging than traditional Klondike solitaire, the game is more difficult. Implementing these tips into your game will increase your chance of winning and make it more fun.

Reveal face down cards as quickly as you can

Similar to classic solitaire, aim to reveal as many face down cards as quickly as you can.

The more cards you can see, the easier it is to make moves - begin moving cards to the foundation pile.

Don’t get distracted by the last card

Remember: if a card is turned face up, it’s ready to play. If the 9 of clubs is open and the 8 of clubs is visible one the board, you can move it onto the 9 — even if it’s behind 5 unrelated cards.

Don’t forget to move cards to foundation piles

Once you can, begin moving cards to the foundation pile - this is literally the foundation of your game. 

But don’t sacrifice revealing cards for achieving ace to king on your foundation.

If you don’t know what the cards are, then how are you supposed to move them to the pile? If you rush this process, you’ll end up not revealing enough cards quick enough - hindering your progress and defeating the object of the game.

Reveal the majority of cards first, then begin transitioning these cards to your foundation piles.

Try and empty a column towards the beginning of the game

An empty tableau is a great place to send kings, improving gameplay and preventing yourself from blocking your own move later in the game.

You should also try and place kings at the top of multiple tableau piles - this is a great strategy that will also help you towards the end of the game.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Is it possible to win Russian solitaire?

Yes, it is possible to win Russian solitaire. Move all cards to the foundation pile in the correct ascending order and suit to win.

Who invented Russian solitaire?

The origins of Russian solitaire are a mystery, but it’s thought to be created around the same time as Yukon solitaire. The inventor is unknown! 

What is the hardest type of solitaire?

While Russian solitaire is difficult, there are more challenging variations, including scorpion and Spider Solitaire. 

What are some of the benefits of playing Russian solitaire?

Spending time playing Russian solitaire allows you to kill time, defeats boredom, helps the mind relax, and provides time to work on strategy. Oh, and it’s great fun!

What is the most popular version of solitaire? 

The most popular version of solitaire is Klondike. A close second is Spider and then FreeCell.