Play Yukon Solitaire Online for Free
Yukon Solitaire is a challenging twist on the classic Klondike Solitaire formula. All 52 cards are dealt to the tableau at the start — no stock pile, no drawing cards. You can see almost everything, but winning requires careful planning and a strong grasp of card sequencing.
The signature feature of Yukon is its flexible movement rule: you can move any face-up card along with all cards on top of it, even if the group isn’t in proper sequence. This creates surprising opportunities that don’t exist in Klondike, but it also means it’s easier to get stuck if you make the wrong moves.
Play free online with unlimited undo, hints, and daily challenges. No download or signup required.
Game Features
- Free to Play – No registration, no download, no ads blocking gameplay.
- All Cards Visible – No hidden stock pile to worry about.
- Flexible Group Movement – Move unsequenced card groups.
- Unlimited Undo – Rewind moves and experiment freely.
- Smart Hints – Get suggestions when you’re stuck.
- Mobile Friendly – Smooth touch controls on any device.
- Daily Challenges – A unique deal every day.
Yukon Solitaire Rules
Setup
All 52 cards from a standard deck are dealt to seven tableau columns:
- Column 1 receives 1 card (face-up).
- Columns 2–7 each receive the same number of cards as in Klondike (1–6 face-down cards respectively), plus 4 additional face-up cards each.
This results in all cards on the table with no stock or waste pile. Four empty foundation piles sit above the tableau.
How to Play
- Build foundations from Ace to King by suit, same as Klondike.
- Build tableau columns in descending rank with alternating colors (e.g., black 9 on red 10).
- Move groups freely — any face-up card can be moved along with all cards above it, even if the group isn’t in descending alternating-color order. The bottom card of the group must still land on a valid target (opposite color, one rank higher).
- Empty columns can only be filled by Kings or groups led by a King.
- Turn face-down cards automatically when a face-down card is uncovered.
Winning
Build all four foundations from Ace to King. Since all cards start on the tableau, the entire game is about rearranging what’s in front of you.
Tips for Winning Yukon Solitaire
- Uncover face-down cards first. This is the #1 priority. Every face-down card revealed gives you more options and information. Target columns with the most hidden cards.
- Use the flexible movement rule aggressively. Moving unsequenced groups is Yukon’s defining mechanic — use it to expose hidden cards even when the move doesn’t seem conventionally productive.
- Build foundations gradually. Don’t rush cards to the foundations. In Yukon, you may need tableau cards as intermediate landing spots. Moving a card to the foundation too early can lock you out of useful sequences.
- Plan for empty columns. Empty columns are valuable but can only hold Kings. Plan your moves to create openings at the right time, and have a King ready to fill the space.
- Work with the longest columns first. Columns with many face-down cards are the biggest bottleneck. Focus your efforts on uncovering cards in these columns early.
- Think several moves ahead. Since all cards are visible, Yukon rewards deep tactical planning. Trace the chain of moves needed to free a specific buried card before you commit.
How Yukon Compares to Other Solitaire Games
| Feature | Yukon | Klondike | FreeCell | Spider |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cards visible | Almost all | Partial | All | Partial |
| Stock pile | None | Yes (24 cards) | None | Yes (50 cards) |
| Group movement | Any face-up card + above | Sequenced only | Single cards | Same-suit sequences |
| Columns | 7 | 7 | 8 | 10 |
| Decks | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Win rate | ~25% | ~30% | ~99% | ~33% (1 suit) |
Yukon is most closely related to Klondike — they share the same foundation-building goal, alternating-color tableau rule, and King-only empty column rule. The key differences are Yukon’s lack of a stock pile and its flexible group movement.
Like FreeCell, Yukon gives you visibility of (almost) all cards from the start, rewarding planning over luck. But where FreeCell uses free cells as temporary storage, Yukon gives you the powerful ability to move unsequenced groups. For a completely different experience, try Spider Solitaire which uses two decks and same-suit sequences, or Pyramid Solitaire for a quick math-based challenge.
The History of Yukon Solitaire
Yukon Solitaire originated as a variant of Klondike Solitaire, though its exact creation date and inventor are unknown. The game is named after the Yukon Territory in Canada, following the tradition of North American frontier-themed card games — much like Klondike itself is named after the Klondike Gold Rush region.
Yukon gained popularity in the digital age as card game software made it easy to try different Solitaire variants. The game appealed to players who enjoyed Klondike’s structure but wanted a more strategic, open-information challenge without the randomness of drawing from a stock pile.
The relationship between Yukon and Klondike mirrors the relationship between FreeCell and other Solitaire variants — they all reward careful planning over luck. Yukon sits in a sweet spot: more challenging than standard Klondike, but not as demanding as Spider Solitaire with its two-deck complexity.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Yukon and Klondike?
Both build foundations Ace-to-King by suit, but Yukon deals all 52 cards to the tableau (no stock pile) and lets you move groups of cards even if they aren’t in proper sequence. Klondike has a stock pile and requires moved groups to be in descending alternating-color order.
How do you move cards in Yukon?
Move any face-up card plus all cards above it to another column — the bottom card must land on a card of opposite color and one rank higher. The cards being moved don’t need to be in sequence themselves.
Is Yukon harder than Klondike?
Generally yes. The lack of a stock pile reduces your options, and the flexible movement rule requires more strategic thinking. Win rates are approximately 25% for Yukon vs. 30% for Klondike.
Can any card fill an empty column?
No — only Kings (or groups led by a King) can be placed in empty columns, the same rule as Klondike Solitaire.
Yukon vs Russian Solitaire
If you enjoy Yukon, you may have heard of Russian Solitaire — a closely related variant that’s even harder. Here’s how they differ:
| Feature | Yukon | Russian Solitaire |
|---|---|---|
| Tableau building | Alternating colors (red/black) | Same suit only |
| Group movement | Any face-up card + above | Any face-up card + above |
| Empty columns | Kings only | Kings only |
| Foundations | Ace to King by suit | Ace to King by suit |
| Win rate | ~25% | ~5-10% |
| Difficulty | Hard | Very Hard |
The key difference is that Russian Solitaire requires you to build tableau columns in the same suit (descending) instead of alternating colors. This dramatically reduces available moves and makes the game much harder. If you’ve mastered Yukon and want an even greater challenge, Russian Solitaire is the natural progression.
Both games share the defining Yukon mechanic: the ability to move any face-up card along with all cards above it, regardless of sequence. This flexible movement rule is what sets them apart from Klondike and its variants.
Play More Solitaire Games
Explore all of our free Solitaire variants:
- Classic Solitaire – The timeless Klondike game on our homepage
- Klondike Solitaire – The world’s most popular Solitaire variant
- FreeCell Solitaire – Pure strategy with all cards visible
- Spider Solitaire – Two-deck challenge with same-suit sequences
- Pyramid Solitaire – Match cards that add up to 13
- TriPeaks Solitaire – Fast-paced peak clearing