How to Play Russian Solitaire

Russian Solitaire is Yukon with the gloves off: the same open layout and free-moving piles, but every build must stay in suit.

Layout

All 52 cards are dealt into seven columns: the first column has one face-up card; columns two to seven have one to six face-down cards topped by five face-up cards.
There is no stock. Four foundations build up by suit from Ace to King.

Moves

Pick up any face-up card together with every card above it, whether or not they are in order.
Place the pile onto a card of the same suit one rank higher.
Only a King, or a pile starting with a King, may be moved into an empty column.
A face-down card left at the end of a column is turned over.
The top card of a foundation may come back down onto a matching card.

Winning

Build all four foundations from Ace to King. The hint prefers foundation moves, then uncovering a face-down card, then freeing a card for a foundation.

Next: Russian Solitaire strategy. Want the easier game? Play Yukon.

Frequently asked questions

How is Russian Solitaire different from Yukon?

Only in one rule: cards build down in the same suit rather than in alternating colours. That one change makes the game far harder, since each card has a single card it can move onto instead of two.

Can every deal be won?

No. Many deals cannot be won even with perfect play. With "only deal games that can be won" switched on, kawu tries a dozen seeded deals and keeps the first its solver can finish; if none is found, you get the first deal anyway.

Last updated 2026-10-21