Play Russian Solitaire Online for Free

Russian Solitaire is Yukon Solitaire with one hard change: you build down in the same suit instead of in alternating colours. Each card has only one place it can go in the tableau, so every move counts. It is one of the hardest games on Solitaire Land. You can play it here for free, online, with no download and no sign-up, and in full screen if you like.

How to play Russian Solitaire

Goal

Move all 52 cards to the four foundations. Each foundation holds one suit, built up from Ace to King.

The deal

All 52 cards are dealt at the start. There is no stock.

• Tableau: 7 columns. The first column has a single face-up card. Each of the other six columns has some face-down cards (1 in the second column, 2 in the third, up to 6 in the last) with 5 face-up cards on top.
• Foundations: four empty places, one for each suit.

Rules

• Building: put a card on the card one rank higher of the same suit. A 6 of Hearts can only go on the 7 of Hearts.
• Moving cards: you can move any face-up card, together with all the cards on top of it. The cards on top don't need to be in order. Only the card you pick has to fit where it goes.
• Turning cards over: when you move the last face-up card off a column, the card under it turns face up.
• Empty columns: only a King, together with any cards on top of it, can go into an empty column.
• Foundations: start each foundation with an Ace, then add 2, 3 and so on up to King, in the same suit. Aces go up by themselves. You can also move a card back from a foundation to the tableau if you need it there.

Tips to win more often

• Find where each card needs to go. Each card fits on only one card in the whole game. Before you move, check whether that card is free or buried.
• Dig out the face-down cards. The hidden cards in the right-hand columns decide the game. Move groups away to reach them as soon as you can.
• Get the Aces and 2s out early. Low cards stuck under other cards block a whole suit. Free them first.
• Use empty columns for Kings that block. A King sitting on face-down cards hides them for good. Moving it into an empty column frees them.
• There is no stock to save you. Every card is already on the table, so a stuck game stays stuck. Think a few moves ahead before you move a large group.
• Use undo often. There is no limit on undo. In Russian Solitaire it is normal to try a line of moves and go back.

Yukon, Russian or Alaska?

All three games use the same deal and let you move any face-up card with the cards on top of it. Only the building rule changes. In Yukon Solitaire you build down in alternating colours, so most cards have two places to go. In Russian Solitaire you build down in the same suit, so each card has only one place to go, and the game is harder. In Alaska Solitaire you also build in the same suit, but both up and down, which gives you back some of the choices. The table further down shows how often players win each one.

Frequently asked questions

Is Russian Solitaire free?

Yes. Every game on Solitaire Land is free to play in your browser, on a computer, tablet or phone. There is nothing to download and you don't need an account.

Can I play in full screen?

Yes. Use the full screen button in the bar above the game. You can also make the cards bigger or smaller with the zoom slider in the bar below the game.

What does the Hint button do?

It shows you one move you can make right now. It doesn't play the game for you, so you still choose what to do next.

Why is Russian Solitaire so hard?

Because you build in suit. In Yukon a red 6 can go on either black 7. Here it can only go on the 7 of its own suit, and if that 7 is buried, the 6 has nowhere to go.

What are the daily challenge and the levels?

Every day there is one daily challenge deal, the same for everybody. A calendar shows which ones you have finished. Levels go from 1 to 100 and get harder as you go up. Each level is a deal chosen from games played here. Winnable deals are deals that at least one player has already won. You can find all three in the New game menu.

Where Russian Solitaire comes from

Russian Solitaire uses the same deal as Yukon and differs only in building by suit. Nobody knows for sure when it first appeared. It should not be confused with two older games with similar names, Nidgi Novgorod and Russian Patience, which are played very differently. If you want the same game with a little more freedom, try Alaska Solitaire.