Rules
How to play Canfield Solitaire
Build wrapping foundations from a random base rank while a thirteen-card reserve drives the tableau.
Build foundations upward by suit from the base rank, wrapping king to ace, until each holds thirteen cards.
Build tableau columns downward in alternating colors, wrapping ace to king.
Move ordered tableau sequences as units.
An empty tableau column is filled from the reserve automatically; after the reserve empties, any card or legal sequence may fill it.
Turn stock cards one at a time to waste. When the stock empties, recycle the waste only if at least one foundation, reserve, waste, or tableau move was made during that pass; otherwise the deal is stalled.
How to win
Build all four thirteen-card suit foundations.
Physical deck
Set up the table
Use the steps below to play this rules version with ordinary cards and no screen.
- Deal thirteen cards face down as the reserve and turn its top card face up.
- Deal one card as the first foundation; its rank becomes the base rank for all four foundations.
- Deal one face-up card to each of four tableau columns and keep the remaining cards as stock.
Canfield Solitaire opening deal
These counts summarize the opening table; follow the numbered steps above for exact placement and overlap.
- Stock
- 1 pile34 cards · 0 face up
- Waste
- 1 pile0 cards · 0 face up
- Thirteen-card reserve
- 1 pile13 cards · 1 face up
- Foundations
- 4 piles1 card · 1 face up
- Four tableau columns
- 4 piles4 cards · 4 face up
Strategy
Strategy for Canfield Solitaire
Release the reserve steadily because it controls empty columns.
Track the unusual base rank on every foundation.
Use wrapping tableau sequences deliberately; king is not always the visual boundary.
Common mistakes
- Starting every foundation with an ace.
- Ignoring the automatic reserve fill.
- Expecting another redeal after cycling the whole stock without making a productive move.
- Forgetting that both foundation and tableau rank order wrap.
Sources & variant
The chosen rules, documented
This playable beta uses rules version 1.1.0-draw-one. The references below support this version; other tables may use different redeal, wrapping, movement, or scoring rules. A saved deal always keeps the rules it began with.