Yukon Solitaire Family
What Defines the Yukon Family?
Yukon-family games eliminate the stock pile entirely—all 52 cards are dealt to the tableau at the start. You can move any face-up card along with all cards stacked on top of it, creating rich strategic depth.
The Three Main Yukon Variants
Yukon Solitaire
Medium Difficulty
- Win Rate: 25-30%
- Building: Alternating colors (red on black)
- Best For: Players who want Klondike without luck
Russian Solitaire
Hard
- Win Rate: 10-15%
- Building: Same suit only (♠ on ♠)
- Best For: Experts seeking a real challenge
Alaska Solitaire
Hard
- Win Rate: 15-20%
- Building: Same suit, up OR down
- Best For: Creative thinkers who like flexibility
Key Differences at a Glance
| Feature | Yukon | Russian | Alaska |
|---|---|---|---|
| Building Rule | Alternating colors, descending | Same suit, descending | Same suit, up or down |
| Win Rate | 25-30% | 10-15% | 15-20% |
| Difficulty | Medium | Very Hard | Hard |
| Stock Pile | None | None | None |
| Move Any Face-Up Card | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Which Yukon Variant Should You Play?
- New to Yukon? Start with Yukon Solitaire—the alternating colors rule is familiar from Klondike
- Want a serious challenge? Russian Solitaire has the lowest win rate and demands perfect planning
- Like creative solutions? Alaska's bidirectional building opens unexpected moves
Pro Tip
In all Yukon variants, your #1 priority is uncovering face-down cards. More visible cards = more options. Don't rush cards to the foundation—they're often more useful in the tableau.
How Yukon Differs from Klondike
If you're coming from Klondike, here's what makes Yukon different:
- No stock pile: No luck of the draw—all 52 cards are in play from the start
- Move buried cards: In Klondike, only the top card moves. In Yukon, any face-up card can move with its stack
- Perfect information: Once all cards are revealed, you can plan every move ahead
- Higher skill ceiling: Success depends entirely on your decisions