Double Canfield Solitaire

Double the cards, double the fun! Double Canfield Solitaire is a two-deck variation of the famed Canfield patience game. Using 104 cards (two standard decks) and eight foundation piles instead of four, it keeps Canfield’s clever mechanics while offering a more winnable challenge. You can play it instantly—no downloads or sign-ups—at SolitaireX.io (https://solitairex.io/double-canfield-solitaire). It also belongs to the broader Canfield games lineup here: https://solitairex.io/free-games/canfield.

How to Play – Rules & Layout

Setup

1. Shuffle two decks (104 cards).
2. Deal one face-up card to start the first foundation pile. The rank of this card sets the starting rank for all foundations.
3. Deal one card face-up to each of five tableau columns.
4. Place 12 cards face-down and one face-up on top to form a 13-card reserve (often called the “demon pile”).
5. The remaining cards become the stock (draw pile).

Foundations (8 piles)

• Build up in suit from the starting rank, wrapping King→Ace→2 until each pile holds 13 cards. • Example: If the first foundation card is the 3♥, every foundation must start with a 3 and build 4 → 5 → … King → Ace → 2.

Tableau (5 columns)

• Build downward in alternating colors (red on black, black on red). • Move single cards or ordered face-up sequences. • When a column empties, it is automatically filled by the top reserve card—until the reserve is gone. After that, any valid card or sequence may fill an empty space.

Reserve (13 cards)

• Only the top reserve card is ever available. • Play it to either a foundation or tableau whenever possible. Clearing the reserve early unlocks key cards for new foundation piles.

Stock & Waste

• Turn cards from the stock to a waste pile, three at a time. • Only the top waste card is playable. • Unlimited redeals: cycle through the stock as often as needed.

Objective

Move all 104 cards to the eight foundations. When every foundation pile is complete, you win!

A Brief History

Canfield Solitaire began in late-19th-century England (where it was nicknamed “Demon Patience”) and was later popularized in the United States by gambler–casino owner Richard A. Canfield, who lent his name to the game. Patrons would purchase a deck for \$50 and win payouts for each card they managed to play to the foundations—proof of the game’s notorious difficulty.

Double Canfield emerged as a friendly variant, doubling the deck but vastly improving the win rate (many players succeed in 75–85 % of deals). The two-deck format has kept the game popular for over a century and is rumored to have been a favorite aboard luxury liners like the Titanic in 1912. Today it remains a staple of digital solitaire collections for players who enjoy Canfield’s strategy but prefer a fairer fight.

Tips & Tricks

1. Empty the reserve early. Those 13 cards block new foundation starts; freeing them widens your options quickly.
2. Create empty tableau spaces. An empty column flips in a fresh reserve card, accelerating reserve clearance. Once the reserve is gone, an empty space becomes a powerful parking spot for any sequence.
3. Balance your foundations. Advance all suits fairly evenly so lower cards don’t get stranded behind higher ones.
4. Scout the stock. With unlimited redeals, it’s often wise to flip through the entire stock once just to see what’s coming. Sometimes skipping a tempting play keeps a crucial future card accessible.
5. Think two moves ahead. Before you move a card, ask if that move opens something better—especially moves that expose hidden tableau or reserve cards.

Start Playing Now

Ready to test your skills? Click over to SolitaireX.io and launch Double Canfield Solitaire (https://solitairex.io/double-canfield-solitaire). No plug-ins, no fees—just pure, strategic card-stacking satisfaction. Good luck and enjoy the game!

Case Studies

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