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What is Alaska Solitaire?

Alaska Solitaire is a fascinating and challenging variant of Yukon Solitaire. It closely resembles Russian Solitaire, but with a unique twist that allows for more flexible moves. In Alaska, cards can be built both upward and downward in the tableau, as long as they follow the same suit. This single rule change creates a more dynamic and strategic gameplay experience.

How to Play Alaska Solitaire

Objective

The goal of Alaska Solitaire is to move all cards from the tableau to the foundation piles, building them up in ascending order by suit from Ace to King.

Setup

Alaska Solitaire is played with a standard 52-card deck, and uses the following layout:

Foundation Piles: Four empty piles at the top where cards are built in ascending order by suit, starting with Aces.
Tableau Piles: Seven columns, each with a different number of cards. The first column has one card, the second has six, the third has seven, and so on, up to eleven cards in the seventh column. In each pile, the last five cards are face-up, while the others are face-down.

Rules

Alaska Solitaire introduces a key variation from Russian Solitaire, allowing for both ascending and descending movement within the tableau, as long as the cards are of the same suit:

Cards in the tableau must be built up or down by suit. For example, the 8 of Hearts can be placed on either the 7 of Hearts or the 9 of Hearts.
You can move any face-up card, along with all cards stacked below it, to another tableau column, as long as the sequence remains in the same suit and each step goes either up or down by one rank.
When a face-down card becomes uncovered in the tableau, it is immediately turned face-up and becomes playable.
Only Kings, or sequences starting with a King, can be moved to empty tableau columns.
Cards can be moved to the foundation whenever they are available and the next in suit order. For example, the Ace of Clubs starts a pile, followed by the 2 of Clubs and so on.
The game is won when all 52 cards are placed correctly in the foundation piles.

Strategies for Alaska Solitaire

Because cards can be built in either direction, Alaska Solitaire offers more opportunities for creative and strategic movement. Here are some tips to improve your play:

Maximize Directional Flexibility: Use the ability to build both up and down to rearrange sequences and unlock hidden cards.
Expose Face-Down Cards: Focus on uncovering face-down cards early. Gaining access to more cards gives you more options and flexibility.
Look for Reverse Loops: Take advantage of the bidirectional rule to create loops that let you reposition cards more freely than in most solitaire games.
Create Empty Columns: Empty tableau columns are powerful. Try to clear a column as early as possible so you can reposition a King or a long sequence.
Plan Multiple Moves Ahead: Avoid impulsive plays. Because you can reverse direction, it's easy to trap useful cards behind awkward sequences if you’re not careful.
Foundation Timing: Don’t always rush to move cards to the foundation. Sometimes it’s better to keep them in the tableau to help build complex sequences.

Why Play Alaska Solitaire?

Alaska Solitaire is perfect for players who want a mentally engaging twist on classic solitaire rules. The ability to build both up and down within a suit adds a rich layer of strategy and flexibility. It rewards thoughtful planning, patience, and creative problem-solving. If you enjoy Yukon or Russian Solitaire, Alaska offers a refreshing and rewarding challenge that keeps you thinking several moves ahead.