Yukon Solitaire

Bold Moves and Freedom of Play

I've always appreciated how solitaire games can feel so distinct, even when they share the same basic rules. Yukon Solitaire stood out to me the moment I discovered it—it looks familiar at first glance, but that illusion fades fast. The ability to move any visible card, no matter what's stacked above it, completely changes how you think several moves ahead. It's a deceptively tough game. Even now, after hundreds of rounds, I still lose more often than I win. But that’s part of what makes it so compelling. I’ve built this version to play right in your browser—no downloads, no signups—whether you're on your phone, tablet, or computer. If you're up for a tougher challenge than Klondike, Yukon might be the perfect next step.

The Setup

Yukon Solitaire uses a standard 52-card deck without Jokers. Here's how the game is set up:

The Tableau: Seven columns with varying numbers of cards. The first column has 1 card, the second has 6 cards, third has 7 cards, fourth has 8 cards, fifth has 9 cards, sixth has 10 cards, and seventh has 11 cards.
Card Arrangement: The top 5 cards of each column (except the first) are face-up, while any cards below them are face-down. This creates an initial challenge of exposing those face-down cards.
The Foundation: Four empty piles at the top for building up each suit from Ace to King.
No Stock Pile: There's no draw pile - all cards are in play from the beginning.

New to Yukon or looking to improve? Read the complete Yukon Solitaire Guide →

How to Play

Yukon Solitaire has a unique movement rule that sets it apart from other solitaire variants:

Basic Movement: Build descending sequences with alternating colors in the tableau columns (like Klondike).
Unique Rule: You can move any visible card in a column, regardless of what cards are on top of it. All cards above it move along with it as a group, even if they aren't in sequence.
Empty Columns: Only Kings can be placed in empty tableau columns.
Foundation Building: Build up each foundation pile from Ace to King by suit.
Face-Down Cards: When you move a card and expose a face-down card beneath it, that card is turned face-up.
Goal: Move all cards to the foundation piles to win.

Scoring System

Your score in Yukon Solitaire comes from both your moves and your completion time:

Move Points

Moving a card from tableau to foundation: +10 points
Moving cards between tableau columns: +2 points
Moving a card from foundation back to tableau: -15 points (penalty)
Flipping a card face-up: +5 points

Time Bonus

Formula: 800,000 divided by your completion time in seconds
Example: Finish in 4 minutes (240 seconds) = 3,333 bonus points
No time bonus for games under 30 seconds

Strategy Guide

Expose Face-Down Cards: Your first priority should be to expose as many face-down cards as possible to increase your options.
Aces to Foundations: Moving Aces to the foundations early is critical to creating space and building your foundation piles.
Look Before You Leap: Since you can move any visible card, take time to consider all your options before making a move.
Create Access: Focus on moves that access and organize cards buried deep in the tableau.
Empty Column Value: Be strategic about creating and using empty columns - they're valuable real estate.
King Caution: Be careful about moving Kings to empty columns since you can't move them again without their entire stack.
Think Ahead: Plan multiple moves in advance, especially when considering whether to move large stacks of cards.

Why Play Yukon Solitaire?

Unique Movement Rules: The ability to move any visible card with all cards above it creates distinctive gameplay not found in other solitaire variants.
No Stock Pile: Unlike Klondike, there's no stock pile to cycle through - all cards are in play from the beginning.
Freedom of Movement: Enjoy the flexibility of being able to access and move any visible card on the tableau regardless of what's above it.
Strategic Depth: The unique movement rules create complex decision trees and opportunities for clever play.
Perfect Balance: More challenging than Klondike but still approachable for players of all skill levels.

Ready to Test Your Strategic Skills?

Yukon Solitaire offers a perfect balance of accessibility and strategic depth. With its unique movement rules and full visibility of all cards, every game presents a fresh puzzle to solve. Start playing now and see if you can master this distinctive solitaire variant! Can you find the winning sequence of moves in today's game?