Australian Patience

If you enjoy the classic feel of Klondike but find yourself looking for a more strategic challenge, Australian Patience is the perfect middle ground. Often described as a hybrid between Yukon and the traditional solitaire, this version offers more control over the cards and a higher success rate for players who like to plan their moves.

Its origins are, as the name suggests, linked to Australia, where it became a popular alternative to the more luck-based variants. The key difference here is that you can move any face-up group of cards, regardless of their sequence, provided the starting card of the group matches the destination card in suit and rank.

Game Setup

Australian Patience uses a standard 52-card deck. The layout consists of the following:

• The Tableau: 7 columns are dealt, each containing 4 cards. Unlike many other games, all these cards are dealt face up from the start.
• The Foundations: 4 empty slots located above the tableau, where you will build your piles by suit from Ace to King.
• The Stock: The remaining 24 cards are placed in a pile, face down, to be used during play.
• The Waste: A discard pile where cards from the stock are placed when drawn.

How to Play

The objective of Australian Patience is to move all cards to the four foundations, starting with the Aces and ending with the Kings, grouped by suit.

1. Building the Tableau: You can move cards within the tableau in descending order and by suit. For example, a 9 of Hearts can only be placed on a 10 of Hearts. This is a major departure from the alternating colors found in FreeCell.
2. Moving Groups: Similar to Yukon or Scorpion, you can move any group of cards starting from any face-up card in a column. You don't need the cards below the moved card to be in any specific order.
3. Using the Stock: You draw cards from the stock one by one and place them into the waste pile. In Australian Patience, you usually only go through the deck once, so use your resources wisely.
4. Empty Columns: Only a King, or a sequence starting with a King, can be moved into an empty tableau slot.
5. Foundations: As soon as an Ace becomes available, it should be moved to the foundation. You then build up (2, 3, 4…) following the same suit.

Tips to Win

• Expose the Bottom Cards: Since all cards in the columns are already face up, your priority should be to free up the cards buried at the bottom of the tableau to get them into play or onto the foundations.
• Don't Rush the Stock: Before drawing from the stockpile, carefully examine the tableau. Every move you make with the existing cards is one less card you'll need to worry about later.
• Create Empty Spaces: Clearing a column is vital. It allows you to move Kings and reorganize large chunks of cards. However, ensure you have a King ready to occupy that spot, or you might limit your options.
• Think Like Yukon: Remember that you can move any card regardless of what is sitting on top of it. Use this to your advantage to reach cards that are needed for the foundations.