Double Klondike uses two standard decks, 104 cards total. The larger layout and extra foundations change how you plan every move. This is the single-player version, distinct from two-player double solitaire and from Spider.
What Makes Double Klondike Different
The biggest difference from standard Klondike is the card count: 104 instead of a standard deck. The layout has 9 columns holding 1 to 9 cards, 45 cards in all, with only the top card of each face up. The remaining 59 cards form the stock. There are 8 foundation piles, two for each suit, built up from Ace to King. You can have two Ace of Spades foundations, and you build each independently.
Column building follows Klondike rules: build down by one rank in alternating colours. Only a King or a King-led run may fill an empty column. Stock rules (draw one or three, number of passes) vary between versions, so decide before you start.
Setting Up the Game
Dealing the Columns
Place one card face up in the first column, two cards in the second (top one face up, the rest face down), and so on up to nine cards in the ninth column. This uses 45 cards. The remaining 59 become the stock, placed face down.
Laying Out the Foundation Row
Set eight foundation spaces above the columns. Build each from Ace to King in the same suit. Because two decks are in play, you can place two Aces of the same suit on separate piles.
Basic Rules of Play
Play proceeds like standard Klondike with these adjustments:
- Move cards between columns if they build down by one rank in alternating colours.
- Only a King or a King-led run may fill an empty column.
- Move the top card of any column to a foundation pile if it is the next rank in that suit, starting from Ace.
- Move a card from a foundation back to the columns if needed. This is a last resort.
- Draw from the stock according to your chosen rule: draw one or three, and decide on the number of passes.
Strategy for the Bigger Layout
Managing the Foundation Piles
Eight foundation slots give you more places to put cards. That can help, but it is also a trap. Keep the piles balanced. If you build one too high, you bury cards you need for the columns. When you have a choice, move a card to a foundation only if it frees a face-down card or opens a column.
Empty Columns Are Valuable
Empty columns are harder to fill because you need a King or a King-led run. You have two Kings per suit, so more chances, but also more cards to shift. Use an empty column to temporarily park a King-led run so you can reach the cards underneath.
Stock Management
The stock is large. Drawing three cards at a time cycles through it faster. Drawing one card lets you see each card individually but may use more passes. Decide which method suits your style. Some versions allow unlimited passes; others limit them.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Building both piles of the same suit too quickly. This blocks moves because you need the lower cards for column building.
- Ignoring the columns to focus on the stock. The columns are where you free cards. Check column moves before every draw.
- Filling an empty column with a short run when a longer run could be moved later. Move a King into an empty column only if you cannot use it elsewhere.
Variations in Stock Rules
The rules do not specify a single stock method. Common options are:
- Draw one card at a time, with unlimited passes through the stock.
- Draw three cards at a time, with unlimited passes.
- Draw three cards at a time, with only one pass through the stock.
Choose the rule that gives you the challenge you want. More passes make the game easier; fewer passes make it harder.