Canfield: rules and strategy
A card game solitaire: a reserve of 13 cards to clear, only four columns, and foundations that don't necessarily start with the ace. This site explains the exact rules, the strategy and won games, verified card by card. To play: Canfield Solitaire, on iPhone, iPad and Android.
Available on the App Store and on Google Play.
Canfield in a few lines
Canfield is played alone with a 52-card deck. 13 cards form the reserve: only the top one can be played. The next card is placed on the first foundation: its rank becomes the starting rank of all 4 foundations. Then one card goes on each of the 4 columns, and the other 34 form the stock.
The goal is to move all 52 cards to the foundations, one per suit, from the starting rank up to the king, then from the ace up to the rank just below. In the columns, you build down in alternating red and black, and the ace accepts a king. The rules detail every move, and the strategy explains how to go about it.
A deal from the app
Here is the deal with code CF1-D3-AAAAACL as the app deals it: the base card is the 7 of hearts. Paste this code in the New Game window to play it; a game won in 201 actions is detailed on the Examples page.
Stock: 34 cards; waste empty; reserve: 13 cards, top card: queen of clubs. Foundations, starting rank 7: hearts up to the 7 of hearts (1), spades empty, diamonds empty, clubs empty. Column 1: 6 of clubs; column 2: king of hearts; column 3: queen of hearts; column 4: ace of spades.
Where to start?
The rules
The reserve, the base card that sets the starting rank, the columns in alternating colors, the stock and the score.
The strategy
Clearing the reserve, using the wrap from ace to king, keeping the useful columns: the principles that win games.
Won games
Real deals from the app with their game code, including a game won in 201 actions, replayed move by move.
Frequently asked questions
Why don't the foundations start with the ace? What is the reserve for? Draw 3 or 1? Short answers.
On phone and tablet
The app is played in landscape. It offers a draw of 3 or 1 cards (3 by default), a code for each game to replay or share a deal, undo for the last 100 actions, and statistics.
