Klondike (draw 1), deal #2

Rated testing, deal #2 is one of the harder deals in this series. It is winnable: the solver's line takes 110 moves.

Notes on this deal

• 1 Ace lies uncovered at the end of a column, ready to go home with your first move.
• 2 Kings are face down. Buried Kings can only leave for an empty column; plan for the space they will need.
• Playing without a plan stalls early here: a test play of the most promising moves gets only 10 of 52 cards home.
• Only one useful move is open at the start, so the opening plays itself; the thinking starts after it.
• The solver's line turns the stock 66 times.

Stuck? The solver's first moves

These are the first moves of the solver's winning line, with automatic moves to the foundations switched on.

#	Card	From	To
1	A♥	column 5	foundation
2	6♣	column 5	7♥, column 7
3	J♠	column 3	Q♦, column 5
4	3♥	column 1	foundation
5	4♦	column 4	5♣, column 3
6	Turn the stock

Klondike in a nutshell

Build four foundations by suit from Ace to King. In the seven columns build down in alternating colours, move ordered runs together and fill empty columns only with Kings. Turn the stock as often as you like.

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