Canfield is quick and a little stubborn. The foundations do not start at Ace, 13 reserve cards sit in your way, and four short tableau piles are all the room you get. Games are fast, and a win feels earned.
Play it here free in your browser, on a computer or a phone, with no download and no sign-up. Choose Draw 3 or the gentler Draw 1.
How to Play Canfield Solitaire
Setup. One 52-card deck is used. Thirteen cards go into the reserve, with only the top card face up. One card is dealt to the first foundation, and its rank becomes the base rank for all four foundations. Four tableau piles get one face-up card each. The rest of the cards make the stock.
Goal. Build all four foundations up by suit, starting from the base rank and wrapping from King to Ace. If the starter is a 7, each foundation runs 7, 8, 9, 10, J, Q, K, A, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Empty foundation spaces show the base rank.
Moves.
- The tableau builds down in alternating colors, and it wraps too: a black King can go on a red Ace.
- A tableau pile moves only as a whole pile onto another tableau pile. The top card of a pile can also go to a foundation.
- The top card of the waste and the top card of the reserve can go to the tableau or to a foundation.
- An empty tableau space is filled automatically from the reserve. Once the reserve is empty, you fill empty spaces yourself with the top waste card.
- Tap the stock to turn cards onto the waste, three at a time in Draw 3 or one at a time in Draw 1. When the stock runs out, tap the empty spot to turn the waste back over. There is no limit on passes.
- Cards go up to the foundations on their own when it is safe: the reserve card, base-rank cards and the next rank always, and others once both cards of the opposite color one step lower are up.
Controls. Drag a card, or tap it to send it to the best legal spot. If you turn tap-to-move off in Settings, a double-tap sends a card to a foundation. Undo and Redo are unlimited, Restart replays the same deal, and Hint suggests a useful move (or says it found none). Shortcuts: Ctrl or Cmd+Z to undo, Ctrl+Y to redo, H for a hint, N for a new game. Settings also cover the card back and sound.
The toolbar shows the timer, move counter, score and deal number. Add ?deal=NUMBER to the page address to replay a deal.
Your statistics (games won, win rate, streaks, best time) and any unfinished game are saved in this browser.
Game Modes: Draw 3 and Draw 1
- Draw 3. The traditional rules. Three cards turn at once and only the top one is playable, so many cards stay hidden pass after pass. Wins are uncommon.
- Draw 1. Every stock card comes up in turn. It is a good way to learn the game, and you will win a lot more often.
Canfield Strategy Tips
- Empty the reserve. The reserve is the real opponent. When you have a choice, play the reserve card first.
- Let empty spaces do the work. An empty tableau space pulls a reserve card down for free. Moving a whole pile onto another pile to open a space is often the best move.
- Do not fill spaces with waste cards casually. Once the reserve is gone, a space is yours to fill. Keep it open until a waste card will start a pile you can really use.
- Think in the wrap. If the base rank is 10, then Kings are middle cards and 9s are the last to go up. A low card like a 3 is not "low" here. Plan around the order of this deal.
- Watch the three-card rhythm. In Draw 3, playing one card from the waste changes which cards show on the next pass. Sometimes holding back a play lets a needed card come up later.
A Little History
The story goes that the game is named after Richard A. Canfield, who ran a gambling house in Saratoga Springs, New York, in the 1890s. Players reportedly bought a deck for $50 and were paid $5 for every card they got onto the foundations. In Britain the game is often called Demon, and the name Canfield has sometimes been used there for what Americans call Klondike Solitaire.
For something different, try Forty Thieves, FreeCell or Spider Solitaire.
Canfield Solitaire FAQ
Why do the foundations not start with Aces?
In Canfield, one card is dealt to the first foundation at the start, and its rank becomes the starting rank for all four foundations. If it is a 9, every foundation starts with a 9 and goes up to King, then Ace, 2 and so on up to 8. The empty foundation spaces show the starting rank.
Can a King go on an Ace?
Yes. The tableau wraps around just like the foundations, so a black King can go on a red Ace and a red King on a black Ace.
What is the difference between Draw 3 and Draw 1?
In Draw 3, the stock turns three cards at a time and you can only play the top one. In Draw 1, you see every card in turn, which makes the game easier. Both modes allow unlimited passes through the stock.
How is the score counted?
Each card on the foundations is worth 5 points. The starter card already counts, so you begin with 5 points, and a won game scores 260.
Is Canfield free to play here?
Yes. It is free with no download and no sign-up, and it works in desktop and phone browsers. Your game in progress and your statistics are saved in your browser.
More solitaire games
- Klondike Solitaire The classic. Build four suits from Ace to King. Draw 1 or Draw 3, winnable deals.
- Spider Solitaire Two decks, ten columns. Clear runs from King down to Ace. 1, 2 or 4 suits.
- FreeCell Every card face up. Four free cells. Nearly every deal can be won.
- Pyramid Solitaire Pair cards that add up to 13 and clear the pyramid. Kings go alone. 1, 3 or unlimited passes.
- TriPeaks Solitaire Clear three peaks with cards one higher or lower. Long runs build a streak score.
- Golf Solitaire Seven columns, one waste pile. Play one rank up or down and finish with no cards left.
- Yukon Solitaire No stock to draw from. Move any face-up card with everything on top of it.
- Scorpion Solitaire Build same-suit runs from King to Ace. Move any face-up stack, one small deal.
- Forty Thieves Two decks, ten columns, one card at a time, one pass through the stock.
- Baker’s Dozen Thirteen open columns, Kings tucked underneath. Build down in any suit, one card at a time.
- Beleaguered Castle The Aces start on the foundations. Eight open rows, single-card moves, no free cells.
- Eight Off FreeCell’s roomier cousin: eight free cells, same-suit building, Kings only in empty columns.
- La Belle Lucie Eighteen fans of cards, same-suit building and two reshuffles. Play it classic or with the merci.
- Accordion Solitaire Squeeze a row of 52 cards into one pile by matching suit or rank, one or three spaces to the left.
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