Klondike Solitaire Family
What is Klondike?
Klondike is the classic solitaire game most people know simply as "Solitaire." It features a 7-column tableau, a stock pile for drawing cards, and alternating color building. The family includes several variants with different rules and difficulty levels.
Klondike Family Variants
Klondike Turn 1
Beginner Friendly
- Win Rate: 43-52%
- Stock Draw: 1 card at a time
- Best For: New players, relaxing gameplay
Klondike Turn 3
Medium Difficulty
- Win Rate: 18-35%
- Stock Draw: 3 cards at a time
- Best For: Players wanting more challenge
Agnes Bernauer
Medium Difficulty
- Win Rate: ~30%
- Building: Alternating colors
- Best For: Strategic players
Agnes Sorel
Hard
- Win Rate: ~5%
- Building: Same color sequences
- Best For: Expert challenge seekers
Key Differences at a Glance
| Feature | Turn 1 | Turn 3 | Agnes B. | Agnes S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win Rate | 43-52% | 18-35% | ~30% | ~5% |
| Stock Draw | 1 card | 3 cards | 7 cards (reserve) | 7 cards (reserve) |
| Building Rule | Alternating colors | Alternating colors | Alternating colors | Same color |
| Foundation Start | Ace | Ace | Random card | Random card |
| Difficulty | Easy | Medium | Medium | Very Hard |
Which Klondike Variant Should You Play?
- Complete beginner? Start with Turn 1—highest win rate, most forgiving
- Want classic difficulty? Turn 3 is the "traditional" Klondike experience
- Ready for something different? Agnes Bernauer adds strategic reserve piles
- Expert challenge? Agnes Sorel has only ~5% win rate
Turn 1 vs Turn 3: The Key Difference
In Turn 1, you see every card in the stock pile eventually. In Turn 3, you draw 3 cards but can only play the top one—meaning some cards may be permanently blocked. This is why Turn 3 has a much lower win rate. See the full comparison →
What Makes Agnes Variants Unique
The Agnes variants (named after a French noblewoman) change two key rules:
- Random foundation start: Instead of starting with Aces, a random card determines the starting rank
- Reserve piles: Cards are dealt into reserve piles you draw from, not a single stock
- Agnes Sorel adds: Same-color building (♥ on ♦, ♠ on ♣) instead of alternating