How to play Russian Solitaire

All 52 cards are dealt into seven columns with no stock. The first column holds one face-up card. Each other column has some face-down cards (one in the second column up to six in the last) with five face-up cards on top.

Grab any face-up card with everything on top of it and drop it where the grabbed card is one rank lower and the same suit as the card it lands on. The cards above it don't need to be in order.

Only a King, with its group, fills an empty column. Build the four foundations up by suit from Ace to King to win.

How Russian differs from Yukon

The layout and the free group moves are the same as Yukon. The difference is the build: Yukon lets a red 6 go on a black 7, while Russian needs the 6 of the same suit. That cuts the number of legal moves sharply, so Russian is much harder to win.

Russian Solitaire tips

• Turn over face-down cards as early as possible, starting with the deepest columns.
• Each card has only one possible tableau spot, so find it before moving anything.
• Send Aces and 2s home quickly.
• Clear a column only when a King group is ready to fill it.
• Use Hint and Undo to test long group moves.

Is Russian solitaire free?

Yes. HypeGameRoom is free: no sign-up, no download and nothing to buy to play. Arcade games reward Neons, a play-only currency that can never be cashed out.

What is the difference between Russian and Yukon solitaire?

Same deal and same group moves, but Russian builds down in the same suit while Yukon builds in alternating colors.

Is there a stock pile?

No. Every card is dealt to the tableau at the start.

Is Russian solitaire hard?

Yes. The same-suit rule makes it one of the harder Yukon-style games, and many deals can't be solved.