Play Alaska Solitaire Online for Free
Play unlimited games of Alaska Solitaire online for free. No download or registration required – play directly in full screen mode on desktop, tablet, or mobile. Enjoy the unique two-way building rules of this highly tactical, same-suit Yukon variation!
What is Alaska Solitaire?
Alaska Solitaire (often referred to as Alaska Patience or Patience Alaska) is a fascinating, brain-bending variation of the classic solitaire card game that combines the rules of Yukon with a highly flexible twist. Like Yukon, it deals all 52 cards onto the tableau from the start and features the famous “Super Move”—allowing you to grab any face-up card regardless of the cards piled on top of it. However, it changes the tableau rules: you must build columns in the exact same suit, but you can build them both up and down (ascending or descending)! This unique mechanic makes Alaska Solitaire online free a highly tactical, solvable, and engaging patience game for players of all skill levels.
Pro Tip: Keyboard Shortcuts
Play faster and more comfortably like a pro using these quick hotkeys.
How to Play Alaska Solitaire
In Alaska Solitaire, there is no stock pile or waste pile. Every single card is already on the board. If you want to learn how to play alaska solitaire, the objective is simple: the goal is to move all 52 cards onto the four foundation piles in ascending order, from Ace to King, organised strictly by suit.
Understanding the Playing Area
The board layout of Alaska Solitaire deals all 52 cards onto the tableau from the first second. As shown in the layout screenshot, the setup is identical to Yukon: seven tableau columns containing a combination of face-down and face-up cards, and no reserve stock pile in the top left.
The board layout contains three main zones:
- The Tableau: Seven columns are dealt on the board. Column 1 has 1 face-up card. Columns 2 through 7 have a combination of face-down cards (1 to 6 cards respectively) and exactly 5 face-up cards resting on top of them.
- The Foundations: Four target slots in the top-right corner. These are built up by suit starting with the Aces (e.g., Ace of Clubs, 2 of Clubs, up to King of Clubs).
- No Stock Pile: The top-left corner is empty. There are no cards held in reserve.
The Rules of Movement & The Two-Way Suit Twist
Movement in Alaska Solitaire is what makes it so dynamic and fun to play. As illustrated in the move screenshot, you can move any face-up stack of cards (even if they are non-sequential). According to the alaska solitaire rules, you can place the bottom card of your stack on another tableau card of the exact same suit that is either one rank higher OR one rank lower.
Key movement rules include:
- The “Super Move”: You can select and drag any face-up card from any column. The entire stack of cards resting on top of it will move with it, even if they are not in numerical order.
- Two-Way Same-Suit Building: The card at the bottom of your dragged stack must be placed on a card of the exact same suit that is either one rank higher OR one rank lower (for example, you can place a 7 of Hearts on an 8 of Hearts, or a 7 of Hearts on a 6 of Hearts).
- Empty Columns: Once a tableau column is cleared, only a King (or a stack starting with a King) can be moved into the blank space.
Building the Foundations
Building the foundation piles is shown in the visual guide above. Once you reveal an Ace, you can move it to the foundations and begin stacking cards in ascending rank (Ace to King) by the same suit.
- Foundation Order: Foundations must start with an Ace. Cards are built up strictly in ascending order (Ace, 2, 3… King).
- Flipping Face-Down Cards: Moving cards off a column reveals any face-down card underneath. Click it to turn it face-up.
- Pulling from Foundations: You can pull cards back from the foundations to the tableau columns if needed to help you make new moves.
Alaska Solitaire vs. Classic Yukon Solitaire
| Feature | Alaska Solitaire | Classic Yukon Solitaire |
|---|---|---|
| Deck Count | 1 standard 52-card deck | 1 standard 52-card deck |
| Initial Tableau Layout | 52 cards dealt into 7 columns (same layout) | 52 cards dealt into 7 columns (same layout) |
| Tableau Building Rules | Ascending OR descending by the same suit (e.g., Hearts on Hearts, up or down) | Descending by alternating colours (e.g., Red on Black, down only) |
| Moving Non-sequential Stacks (“Super Move”) | Yes (Grab any face-up card and move its stack together) | Yes (Grab any face-up card and move its stack together) |
| King Placement | Only Kings can fill empty tableau columns | Only Kings can fill empty tableau columns |
| Estimated Win Rate | ~60% to 70% (Much higher due to two-way rules) | ~80% (Highly solvable) |
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Learn Winning StrategiesWinning Strategies for Alaska Solitaire
Because you can build both up and down, Alaska Solitaire is much easier to win than Russian Solitaire, but still requires focus. Use these strategies to claim victory:
- Change Directions to Park Stacks: If you are stuck, remember you can change the building direction. You can place a 6 on a 7, and later place that 7 back on the 6. Use this to temporarily store cards while clearing other piles.
- Expose Face-Down Cards First: Just like in Yukon, always prioritise moves that flip over the face-down cards. The faster you expose all 52 cards, the easier it is to win.
- Avoid Burying Low Cards: When building ascending sequences (e.g. 3-4-5-6), remember that you need the 3 and 4 to build your foundations. Avoid burying low cards too deep in a column where they cannot be easily reached.
- Use Empty Columns Wisely: Try to create empty columns to make space for Kings. A King in an empty column gives you a safe spot to organise messy cards.
Features of Our Free Alaska Solitaire
Enjoy the best online Alaska Solitaire experience with these premium features:
- 100% Free & No Registration: Play immediately in your browser on desktop, tablet, or mobile.
- Premium Visuals: Tactile card animations, clean layouts, and card shadows matching Core Web Vitals best practices.
- Undo & Hints: Use our unlimited undo tool to try different directions, or click hints for help.