Frequently asked questions about Russian Solitaire
How does it differ from Yukon?
There is just one difference: in the columns, a card is placed on a card of the same suit and one rank higher, such as the 6 of spades on the 7 of spades. In Yukon, red and black alternate. The setup, groups out of sequence, empty-column rule and foundations are the same.
Does Russian Solitaire have a stock?
No. All 52 cards are dealt into 7 columns at the start: 21 face down and 31 face up. To make progress, you must uncover the face-down cards by moving the cards above them.
Can you move cards that are not in sequence?
Yes, as in Yukon. You take any face-up card along with all the cards above it, even if they are out of sequence: only the bottom card of the group must fit onto the destination card. In the app, a group can contain at most 20 cards, and move 3 of the game on the Examples page moves 5 cards out of sequence this way.
What can be placed on an empty column?
Only a king, alone or with the cards above it. Any other group is rejected, even if moving it would uncover a face-down card. That is why you should avoid emptying a column unless you have a king ready to move into it.
What changes under Relaxed rules?
In the New Game window, the app offers two rule sets: Classic (the default) and Relaxed. Under Relaxed rules, a card can go onto any card one rank higher, regardless of suit; under Classic rules, the suit must match. Everything else is identical, and the game code indicates the chosen rules.
How does the app calculate points?
Placing a card on a foundation earns 10 points, and turning a face-down card face up earns 5; other moves earn nothing, and the score never falls below zero. The 52 cards on the foundations and 21 cards turned face up total 625 points in every game won without taking cards back from foundations, which is the score of the games on the Examples page.
Can every deal be won?
The app does not say, and this site does not measure it. Every deal on the Examples page has a winning game verified move by move, with one exception: for RU1-C-AAAAAAV, the program tried the 3 528 positions its search reaches without finding a solution. Since it never takes a card back from a foundation, this does not prove that the deal is unwinnable.
What does the game code mean?
The code, for example RU1-C-AAAAABB, identifies a specific deal. C or R indicates Classic or Relaxed rules, and the last 7 characters identify the shuffle. Paste it into the Game Code field in the New Game window to get the same deal on any device.