How to play: Yukon

Yukon is a satisfying solitaire game that combines elements of popular games Klondike and Scorpion (which also has no stock pile) and which has a reasonable chance of coming out. The layout is broadly similar to Klondike and as with the latter game, the aim is to build all cards on to the foundations, while building in downward red/black sequence on to the foundations. As with Klondike, an intermediary aim during the game is to reveal face down cards in the tableau. However, the game differs from Klondike in that there is no stock pile; instead, cards that would have formed the stock are dealt face up directly on to the tableau. Various sources rate Yukon as being of moderate difficulty.

How to play Yukon on your iPad

If you haven't yet downloaded the app, click here to get Solitaire Whizz Compendium for iPad, which includes the version of Yukon solitaire described here.

Layout

The starting layout of Yukon is as illustrated below. Effectively, the tableau is laid out as in classic Klondike, and then the remaining cards are dealt face up on to the rightmost six piles, three per pile. The result is that the first pile consists of a single face-up card, and the remaining piles have four face-up cards in addition to 1-6 face down cards respectively.

Yukon layout in Solitaire Whizz for iPad

Aim

The aim, as with Klondike, is to build all cards on to the foundation piles, one pile per suit. Thus, as the Aces become available, they are built on to the foundations, followed by the corresponding 2s etc.

Gameplay

The bottom card of any foundation column is always face up and available for play at any time. An available card may be played either on to a foundation (respecting the order of Aces first, then 2s etc, one suit per pile), or on to the bottom of another foundation column. Building on to foundation columns must be down in downward sequence, alternating red/black. So for example, a 6 of Diamonds (or Hearts) may be built down on to a 7 Clubs (or Spades).

In addition, as in Klondike, whole sequences of cards may be moved from the bottom of one foundation column to the bottom of another, provided that the entire sequence being moved respects the downward, alternating sequence.

Whenever the last face-up card in a column is moved, then the face-down card underneath it (if there is one) is immediately turned up and is available for play.

Empty columns may be filled with any King.

Strategy

As with Klondike, a key part of the strategy to completing Yukon is to reveal the face-down cards as soon as possible. Attacking the columns with fewer cards can also help to free up a column or two earlier on. Again, as in Klondike, it is often best not to be hasty about moving cards to the foundations: once you get past the 2s, try to move cards to the foundations as and when doing so will help you to free up other cards rather than prematurely.