Play Rank and File Solitaire Online for Free (No Signup Required)

March two decks into ten ranks of four, flip cards as you dig them out, and move whole alternating-color sequences at once. Win rate: 60%.

Rank and File Solitaire is an old member of the Forty Thieves family, and the name comes from the parade ground: two full decks marched out into ten tidy columns of four cards, like soldiers standing in ranks and files. Only the top card of each column is dealt face up, so the early game is spent uncovering what's underneath.

Two things make it friendlier than Emperor Solitaire, which deals the exact same layout: the tableau builds down in alternating colors, and whole sequences can be moved as a group, so a carefully built run never turns into a dead end. The one pass through the stock still demands caution, though. A card left buried on the waste pile stays buried for good.

The game is medium difficulty, with a 60% chance of winning. It's played with two decks, and your odds come down to a mix of skill and luck.

If you like this one, its closest relative is Number Ten Solitaire, and both trace back to the same Forty Thieves Solitaire family.

If you run into anything odd or have an idea that would make the game better, please contact me.

Enjoy playing!

How to play Rank and File Solitaire

Layout:

8 foundation piles: Build up in suit from Ace to King.

10 tableau piles: Build down in alternating colors. Sequences in alternating colors may be moved as a group. Any card can fill a space. Each pile is dealt four cards at the start of the game, with only the top card face up.

Stock: Click to flip over cards one at a time to the waste. There are no redeals.

Waste: The top card is playable.

Foundation:

There are eight foundation piles.

Each pile must begin with an Ace. A card can be added to a foundation pile only if it's one rank higher and the same suit as the pile's current top card, so the only card that fits on an 8 of spades is a 9 of spades. A pile is complete when it reaches the king.

The top card of each foundation can be moved back into play if another pile will accept it.

Tableau:

Ten tableau piles, each dealt four cards. Only the top card of each pile starts face up; the three cards beneath it lie face down and are turned over as they become exposed.

A card can be added to a tableau pile only if it's one rank lower and the opposite color of the pile's current top card, so the only cards that fit on an 8 of spades are the 7 of hearts and the 7 of diamonds.

Cards on the tableau that are not covered by another card are free to be played onto the foundation or any other tableau pile.

If the cards are alternately red and black, groups of cards in sequence from high to low can be moved from one tableau column to another.

Any card from the tableau or the waste may fill an empty tableau space.

Stock and waste:

There is one waste pile, and the remaining sixty-four cards make up the stock.

When you click on the stock, one card from the stock is dealt to the waste. There's only one pass through the stock, with no redeals.

The top card of the waste can be played to the tableau or foundation.