Frequently asked questions about Canfield
Why don't the foundations start with the ace?
In Canfield, the card placed on the first foundation at the deal sets the starting rank for all 4 foundations. In deal CF1-D3-AAAAACL, it is a 7: each foundation starts with a 7, goes up to the king, then wraps around through the ace up to the 6. So an ace starts a foundation only if the base card is an ace.
What is the reserve for?
The reserve holds 13 stacked cards; only the top one can be played, onto a foundation or a column. When a column empties, the app immediately fills it with the top card of the reserve. Once the reserve is empty, an empty column accepts any card.
Draw three or draw one: what's the difference?
By default, the app turns over 3 cards at a time and only the last one can be played; in draw 1, each card comes up in turn. In both cases, the waste pile goes back into the stock as many times as you like, with no penalty. The same deal was won in 201 actions in draw 3 (CF1-D3-AAAAACL) and in 223 in draw 1 (CF1-D1-AAAAACL).
Can you place a king on an ace?
Yes, in the columns: you build down alternating red and black, and after the ace comes the king. On the foundations, it's the reverse: after the king comes the ace. A sequence can therefore continue from one round of ranks to the next.
How is the score calculated?
Each card placed on a foundation earns 5 points, and nothing else counts. The base card is already in place: 51 cards remain to be placed, which is 255 points for a game won without taking back a card from a foundation. This scoring follows that of the casino version described by Wikipedia, at 5 dollars per card.
What does the game code mean?
The code, for example CF1-D3-AAAAACL, identifies one specific deal. D3 or D1 indicates the draw, and the last 7 characters identify the shuffle. In the New Game window, choose "Load a game with a code" and paste it: you get the same deal, with the same stock.
Can you undo a move or take a card back from a foundation?
Yes to both. The app keeps the last 100 actions, and undoing also removes the points from the undone move. You can also drag the top card of a foundation to a column without losing points: if you place it back afterward, it earns 5 points again.
Can every Canfield deal be won?
The game has a reputation for being difficult: according to Wikipedia, its other English name, Demon, comes from that. The app does not say whether a deal is winnable, and this site does not measure the share of winnable deals. The deals on the Examples page, however, have a won game verified move by move.