1. What Exactly Is La Belle Lucie Solitaire?
La Belle Lucie (French for “the beautiful Lucy”) is a fan-style solitaire that dates back to the 19ᵗʰ century. You deal the whole deck into little fans of three cards, and then try to build each suit up to the King. It’s quick to learn, surprisingly deep, and perfect for a five-minute mental reset (or a two-hour rabbit hole—no judgment here).
2. A (Very Brief) History Lesson
- Origin: First recorded in French game books in the mid-1800s.
- Why the fancy name? Victorian-era publishers loved romantic titles—“Lucie” simply sounded classy.
- Modern fame: It became a computer staple in the 1990s, then re-emerged in HTML5 collections like… you guessed it… solitaireX.io.
3. Setup & Basic Rules of La Belle Lucie Solitaire?
| Deck | Standard 52-card deck (no jokers) | | Tableau | 18 piles (fans) of 3 cards each + 1 pile with the leftover card (face-up). Only the top card of any fan is playable. | | Foundations | Four empty slots; build Ace → King by suit. | | Redeals | After you run out of moves, gather the tableau in order (no shuffling!), flip it face-down, and redeal into fans. Traditionally you get two redeals—hence the alt name “Two Shuffles and a Draw.” | | Empty spaces | You can’t fill empty tableau slots until the first redeal. After each redeal, any gap may be filled with a King.
4. How to Play La Belle Lucie Solitaire - Step-by-Step
Deal the Fans Click New Game on solitaireX.io → La Belle Lucie, and the site auto-deals the classic 18-plus-1 layout.
Move to Foundations
- Drag every Ace to its foundation stack.
- Build up by suit (2, 3, 4… K).
Tableau Moves
- Inside the fans, build down by suit (e.g., ♥ 9 on ♥ 10).
- Move one card at a time; no partial stacks.
Redeals
- Stuck? Hit Redeal. solitaireX.io scoops the tableau left-to-right, turns it face-down, and re-deals the fans.
- You get two redeals total.
Win Condition All cards reach the four foundations in ascending order. Cue confetti.
5. Popular Variations
| Variation | What Changes | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|
| Three Shuffles and a Draw | Adds a third redeal plus one “free move” where you can relocate any single buried card. | Easier |
| Trefoil | Tableau fans are all 16 piles of 4 cards each. | Similar |
| The Fan | Empty tableau slots may be filled with any card, anytime. | Much easier |
| Shamrocks | Build foundations in both directions (Ace ↑ King and King ↓ Ace). | Moderate |
6. Winning Tips & Tricks
Free the Aces Fast Every Ace you uncover early shrinks the tableau and opens new moves.
Prioritize Long Suits If hearts are mostly stacked under hearts, clear them first—less suit juggling later.
Think Before You Redeal Try to empty at least one pile before hitting Redeal. An empty slot after the first shuffle is gold because you can park Kings there.
Watch the Kings A King blocking two smaller cards of the same suit is trouble. Sometimes it’s worth not moving that King until you’re sure.
Use the “Draw” (if allowed) In Three Shuffles and a Draw, save your draw for a buried Ace or low card trapping an entire suit.
Play the Odds Statistically, La Belle Lucie is winnable roughly 60 – 70 % of the time with perfect play—much higher with Three Shuffles. Don’t give up after one rough redeal!
7. Common FAQs
Q: Is La Belle Lucie really winnable, or is it pure luck? A: It’s a mix. The initial deal matters, but smart planning (especially around Kings and redeals) makes a huge difference.
Q: Why can’t I move whole stacks? A: That’s the core challenge of fan solitaire—only the top card is ever free. Embrace the puzzle!
Q: How long does one game take? A: 3 – 7 minutes if you’re zipping; 10 – 15 if you agonize over every move (again, no judgment).
Q: Can I play on mobile? A: Yep—solitaireX.io is fully responsive. Swipe to your heart’s content.
8. Why Play on solitaireX.io?
- No installs, no ads (seriously, bless them).
- Auto-save lets you swap devices without losing your run.
- Smart hints & undo for learning the ropes.
- A slick, distraction-free dark mode—perfect for late-night card therapy.
👉 Try La Belle Lucie now and see if you can beat my 2-redeal record!
La Belle Lucie is the solitaire equivalent of a cozy Sunday playlist—simple setup, satisfying flow, and just enough strategy to keep your brain humming. Whether you’re killing five minutes between meetings or hunting that flawless no-redeal victory, give it a whirl on solitaireX.io and let “the beautiful Lucy” charm you.
Shuffle up and have fun!