Double Klondike Solitaire - double the fun of the classic game





Double Klondike is like normal Klondike… on acid, man. Okay, not really. It's just the normal classic solitaire game you're used to playing, but with 2 decks instead of 1.

If you already know how to play Klondike you can basically skip all of this. Just go play.

how to play double klondike by hand

If you've played Klondike by hand, a lot of this will ring a bell. Except for this: go get yourself two decks of cards. Remove the Jokers (you've probably lost them already anyway) and of course, you now must shuffle all cards thoroughly.

In normal Klondike, you'd now build 7 columns. In Double Klondike, all of those extra cards mean 9 columns instead of 7 (as well as a much larger stock pile).

So, if you're unfamiliar with how Klondike goes, start by placing one face up card in column 1 on the tableau (the main playing area). For the next 8 columns, place one face down card in each. For the next row, you start with column 2 and place one face up card. For columns 3-9, again place a single face down card in each. You repeat this pattern, moving over one column each time until finally you place your last face up card in column 9.

You will be left with extra cards in your hand, these will be used for the stock.

If you're playing in real life, make sure you've left enough room on your table to accomodate 8 foundation piles.

double klondike rules

Rules are basically the same as classic klondike.

The columns are the tableau. Here, you create stacks by building cards down (descending) from King to 2s and by alternate color (e.g. red, black, red, etc).

You may move the top-most card in a column, or a "deep" card if it's part of a legal stack (well, of course in klondike, you will only ever have multiple face up cards in one column if they're part of a valid stack (as opposed to games like Spider and Yukon)).

When you clear a column, tranditional rules say you may only place a King (or a valid stack starting with a King) in that free space. If you're playing by hand, you can do whatever you want. If you're playing online, the rules vary. We hope to soon give you the option to configure this rule so that you can choose whether you only want Kings or any card.

When you find an Ace, move it immediately to one of the foundation piles. Unlike the tableau, the founcations are built up (ascending) by same suit. As you find cards that can be moved to the foundations, you may choose to do so. Or you can leave them in play on the tableau. Now here's where some rules/sites differ, once a card has been moved to the foundation, can you move it back? We think you should be able to, and so you shall. Other sites say no, so once a card is on the foundation, it's gone for good. Now if the entire point of the game is to get all of the cards to the foundations, why would you even want to move a card back? Simple, if you've got a move on the tableau that you need to make to uncover some cards but the only way to make that move is to "steal" a card from a foundation pile, then just do it. It could be the difference between winning and losing.

So here's an example: you've got a black 7 somewhere on the tableau, and a black 5 elsewhere, and the 5 has cards face down underneath it. You've already been through the stock a couple times and there's no red 6 to be found (it's face down in one of the columns somewhere), but wait. You catch a glimpse of it out of the corner of your eye: a 6 of diamonds. But oh no, it's on a foundation pile. So depending on whose rules you're going with, you're either screwed or able to make the move. If you're allowed, you can simply move that six of diamonds onto the black seven, et voilà, now you get to move the black five onto your red six, and all is well with the world again.

Rules for how the stock can also vary. For instance, how many cards do you deal at a time? Are redeals allowed, and if so, how many? On this site, you get to choose. The defaults are unlimited redeals and for 1 card to be dealt at a time from the stock.

To win the game, get all the cards to the foundation piles, just like in Klondike. To beat the game, try not to get addicted.

We hope you enjoy playing!

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