Klondike (draw 1), deal #20

Deal #20 is one of the easier deals in this series. Our solver won it in a line of 85 moves, so it can certainly be won.

Notes on this deal

• 3 of the Aces are in the stock, so an early pass through it pays off.
• A King already sits at the head of a column, so that column never needs emptying.
• 2 Kings are face down. Buried Kings can only leave for an empty column; plan for the space they will need.
• Simply playing the most promising move each time wins this deal, so it makes a good warm-up.
• Only 2 useful moves are open at the start, so the first decision matters.
• The solver's line turns the stock 53 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	2♥	column 6	3♠, column 1
2	5♥	column 5	6♣, column 6
3	5♠	column 5	6♥, column 3
4	6♥ +1	column 3	7♠, column 5
5	7♠ +2	column 5	8♥, column 2
6	J♣	column 7	Q♦, column 3

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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