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Frequently Asked Questions About Yukon Solitaire
Answers to the most common questions about Yukon Solitaire rules, strategy, and gameplay. Whether you are new to Yukon or looking to sharpen your approach, you will find the answer here.
How is Yukon Solitaire different from Klondike?
Yukon and Klondike share the same foundation-building goal and alternating-color tableau rule, but they differ in two major ways. First, Yukon has no stock pile — all 52 cards are dealt to the tableau at the start, so you can see nearly every card from your first move. Second, Yukon allows you to move any face-up card along with all cards on top of it, even if those cards are completely out of sequence. In Klondike, you can only move groups that form a proper descending run of alternating colors. These two differences make Yukon far more strategic and less dependent on luck.
How do group moves work in Yukon?
You may select any face-up card in any tableau column, and every card physically sitting on top of it moves with it as a single block. The cards riding along do not need to be in sequential order and do not need to alternate in color. However, the bottom card of the group — the one you are actually placing — must follow the standard tableau rule: it must be one rank lower and the opposite color of the destination card. For example, you can move a red 6 with a jumbled pile of cards on top of it onto a black 7, because only the red 6 needs to satisfy the placement rule.
Why is there no stock pile in Yukon?
Yukon was specifically designed as a variant that eliminates the stock pile to reduce the element of chance. In Klondike, a significant portion of the game depends on the order in which stock cards are revealed. By dealing all 52 cards to the tableau at the outset, Yukon ensures that the player can see and plan around almost every card from the very beginning. The trade-off is that Yukon compensates for the missing stock pile by granting the flexible group move rule, which gives you additional ways to rearrange the tableau.
What can go into an empty tableau column?
Only a King — or a group of cards whose leading (bottom) card is a King — can be placed into an empty column. No other rank is permitted to start a new column. Empty columns are strategically valuable because they provide temporary storage and maneuvering room, so it is important to use them deliberately rather than filling them without a plan.
What is the win rate for Yukon Solitaire?
The theoretical win rate for Yukon Solitaire with perfect play is not precisely known, but computer analysis estimates that roughly 1 in 4 to 1 in 3 randomly dealt games are winnable. In practice, most human players win far fewer games because the large number of visible cards and possible group moves make it difficult to find the optimal sequence. Experienced players who think several moves ahead can improve their win rate significantly compared to beginners who move impulsively.
What is the best strategy for uncovering face-down cards?
Since there are only 6 face-down cards in Yukon (one at the bottom of columns 2 through 7), revealing them should be your top priority on almost every turn. Each hidden card restricts your options because you cannot plan around something you cannot see. Look for group moves that clear all face-up cards from a column, exposing the face-down card underneath. Even if a move does not immediately improve your tableau arrangement, flipping a hidden card often opens up new possibilities that more than compensate for the temporary disorder.
Can you move a partial group in Yukon?
No. When you select a face-up card in Yukon, every card on top of it must come along. You cannot split a group by taking some cards and leaving others behind. This is an important constraint to understand because it means moving a deeply buried card forces you to carry potentially unhelpful cards with it. Planning around this limitation — knowing which cards you will be dragging along and where you can legally place the group — is a core part of Yukon strategy.
How does foundation building work in Yukon?
The four foundation piles are built up by suit, starting with the Ace and ending with the King. Each foundation accepts only one suit: one for hearts, one for diamonds, one for clubs, and one for spades. Only individual cards can be moved to the foundation — you cannot send a group of cards directly. Once a card is placed on a foundation it cannot be moved back to the tableau. The game is won when all four foundations are complete with 13 cards each.
Should you always move cards to the foundation as soon as possible?
Not necessarily. In Klondike, moving cards to the foundation is almost always beneficial because cards in the foundation free up tableau space. In Yukon, however, a card remaining on the tableau can serve as a valid landing spot for group moves. Sending a low card to the foundation too early may eliminate a placement option you need later. A good guideline is to move Aces and Twos to the foundation immediately, but pause before sending higher cards until you are confident they are no longer needed as landing targets in the tableau.
Is Yukon Solitaire harder than Klondike?
Yukon is generally considered harder to master but more skill-based than Klondike. The lack of a stock pile means there is no fallback source of new cards — every card you need is already on the tableau, so you must find it and maneuver it into place using group moves. The sheer number of possible moves on any given turn can be overwhelming for beginners. However, experienced players often prefer Yukon precisely because the outcome depends more on planning and less on the random order of a draw pile.
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