Play Canfield Solitaire for free
Canfield is a classic patience game for one player, with a reserve pile of 13 cards and foundations that can start on any rank. In Britain it is known as Demon Patience, and it is famously hard to beat, which makes each win all the sweeter. Here on Kitchen Table Cards you can play it free in your browser with large cards, unlimited Undo, hints and no time pressure. There is nothing to download and you do not need an account.
How to play · Allowed moves · Tips · Questions
How to play Canfield Solitaire
Thirteen cards are dealt to the reserve on the left, with only the top card face up. The next card goes up to the foundations at the top right, and its rank is where all four foundations start. Four cards start the four columns. The other 34 cards are the stock, at the top left.
The goal is to build all 52 cards onto the foundations, each suit in order going up from the starting rank. After the King comes the Ace, so with a Seven to start, each suit runs 7 to King, then Ace to 6.
Allowed moves in Canfield
- Down in alternating colours: in the columns, a card can go on a card one rank higher of the other colour. A King can go on an Ace.
- Runs: cards in order in a column can be moved together.
- The reserve: its top card can go to a foundation or onto a column. An empty column is filled from the reserve straight away.
- Empty columns: once the reserve is used up, any card or run can go in an empty column.
- The stock: click it to turn over three cards (or one, under Settings). Only the top card of the pile beside it can be played. When the stock runs out, click it again to turn the cards back over, as often as you like.
How to move cards on this site
| Click or tap a card | It moves to the best place: its foundation, then onto another card, then an empty column. Tap a card higher up a column to move it with the cards on top of it. |
|---|---|
| Drag a card | Hold the mouse button (or your finger) on a card and move it where you want it. The place it will land is outlined in yellow. |
| Undo | Takes back your last move. You can undo as many times as you like. |
| Hint | Shows you a good next move, outlined in yellow. |
| Restart | Deals the same game again from the start. |
Tips for winning at Canfield
- Empty the reserve. Play reserve cards whenever you can. Every one played brings you closer to having free columns.
- Move whole columns. Moving a column onto another frees a space, and the next reserve card drops into it.
- Don't rush to the foundations. A card on a column can hold a lower card of the other colour, so sometimes it is worth keeping it there a little longer.
- Learn the stock. With three cards at a time, the order of the stock stays the same on each pass until you play a card from it. Notice which cards come up.
- Use Undo to explore. Undo has no penalty here, so try a line of play and take it back if it doesn't work out.
Canfield Solitaire questions and answers
Is this Canfield Solitaire game free?
Yes. Canfield Solitaire on Kitchen Table Cards is completely free. There is no download, no sign-up and nothing to buy.
Is Canfield the same as Demon Patience?
Yes. In America the game is called Canfield, after a casino owner who is said to have offered it to his customers. In Britain it is usually called Demon or Demon Patience. The rules are the same.
Why do the foundations not start with an Ace?
In Canfield the first card dealt to the foundations decides where every foundation starts. If it is a Seven, each suit is built 7, 8, 9 and so on up to King, then round the corner to Ace, Two and up to Six. Each foundation shows the rank it starts with.
What is the reserve for?
The reserve is the pile of 13 cards on the left. Only its top card can be played. Whenever a column becomes empty, the next reserve card fills it straight away. Getting the reserve used up is the key to winning, because then you can put any card in an empty column.
Can every game of Canfield be won?
No. Canfield is one of the harder patience games, and many deals cannot be won however well you play, especially with three cards turned at a time. Turning one card at a time, under Settings, makes it much easier.
Can a King go on an Ace?
Yes. In Canfield the columns wrap round, so a King can go on an Ace of the other colour, and a Queen on that King, and so on.
Does the game save my progress?
Yes. Your current game is saved automatically on your device. If you close the page and come back later, you can carry on where you left off.
Can I play Canfield Solitaire on a tablet or phone?
Yes. Tap a card and it moves to the best place, or drag it with your finger. A tablet, or turning your phone sideways, gives you bigger cards.
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