Double Solitaire Turn 1

Game Type: Solitaire

Win Statistics:50%

How to Play Double Solitaire Turn 1

Double Solitaire or Double Klondike, is the same game as Classic or Klondike Solitaire, except that it is played with two decks or 104 cards.

The Goal

Your goal is to move all 104 cards from the stockpile and tableau into the eight foundation piles by suit in ascending order from Ace to King. There are two foundation piles for each suit.

The Setup

Tableau: This is where you sequence face-up cards and uncover facedown cards. 45 cards are laid down in 9 columns, with the first column having 1 card, the second column with 2 cards, and so forth until the 9th column has 9 cards, forming a reverse staircase. The last card of each column is placed face-up.
Stockpile: The remaining 59 cards are placed face down in the stockpile, which is located at the top left of the game.
Waste pile: Cards from the stockpile are moved to the waste pile one by one. The last face-up card in the waste pile can be moved to the foundation piles or the tableau.
Foundation piles: These are the 8 piles above the tableau. Cards are moved to the foundation piles by suit, in ascending order from Ace to King.

Double Solitaire Rules

Gameplay is similar to Klondike Solitaire.

Only move face-up cards: At the start of the game, you can move cards from the bottom of the tableau columns. When you uncover facedown cards in the tableau, turn them face up and use them in play. Face-up cards in the waste pile are also playable.
Sequence cards in descending order, alternating by color. For example, an 8 of clubs can be placed on a 9 of hearts.
Move a sequence of cards in descending order and alternating color as a group. For example, if you have a sequence containing the 6 of spades, 5 of hearts, and 4 of spades, you can move it on top of the 7 of diamonds in another tableau column.
Draw from the stockpile when stuck. If you can't make any more moves in the tableau, flip a card from the stockpile to the waste pile. This face-up card can be used if moves are available. Once the stockpile has run out, flip the waste pile cards back into the stockpile to run through it again. You can run through it as many times as you want. In turn 1 of Double Klondike, you draw 1 card at a time.
Fill empty columns with kings. When you empty a column, you can fill it with a king or a sequence that starts with a king. No other cards can start empty columns.
Build foundation piles. Foundation piles are divided by suit. Start each foundation pile with an ace and continue building in ascending order (A, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, J, Q, K) until each foundation pile is complete and you've cleared the tableau and stockpile.

Strategy

Immediately draw a card from the stockpile. This gives you one more card you know and that you can play into the tableau and help build sequences.
Study the tableau. Examine all the cards in the tableau to get an understanding of where the cards are and potential future moves.
Move aces and 2s to the foundation. Playable aces can always be immediately moved to the foundation freeing up more cards. Additionally, move 2s immediately to the foundation if you can. 2s can't help sequence other cards so you'll want to remove them from the tableau as soon as you can to free up other cards.
Prioritize moves in the tableau. Before using cards in the waste pile, make as many moves in the tableau as possible. This helps you uncover facedown cards and clear columns, instead of prematurely adding cards in the tableau that could limit your options and block future moves.
Prioritize moves that free face-down cards. Uncovering facedown cards allows them to be flipped face up, increasing possible moves.
Focus on uncovering cards in long tableau columns. These columns contain more hidden cards, which are essential to reveal to progress through the game.
Build foundation piles evenly. If one foundation pile is built up significantly more than the others, it can make sequencing cards in the tableau difficult. You can always move cards from the foundation pile back to the tableau, but this costs you additional moves.
If needed, move cards back to the tableau from the foundation. You may find you'll need a card already in the foundation to sequence and reveal cards in the tableau.
Create sequences using the same pairs of suits when possible. If you can build sequences using diamonds and spades, for example, it’s easier to move them into foundation piles evenly.
Look ahead at gaps in sequences. It’s best to move waste pile cards to the tableau only when they can further gameplay. To help decide, look for gaps in sequences. For example, if there is a king of spades and queen of hearts in one column and a ten of diamonds and nine of spades in another column, moving the jack of clubs from the waste pile to the tableau is beneficial because it will help you build a more complete sequence.

Similar games to try

Turn 3 Double Klondike is the same game, except you turn 3 cards from the stockpile at the time. You can also try Turn 3 Klondike and Triple Klondike.