What is Russian Solitaire?
Russian Solitaire is Yukon with one rule changed. The deal is the same: seven columns, most cards face up, no stock. You may still move any face-up card together with every card lying on top of it, in any order, and only Kings may go into an empty column.
The difference is what a card may be placed on. In Yukon a card goes on a card one rank higher of the other colour, so a red 7 fits on either black 8. In Russian Solitaire it must be the same suit: the 7 of hearts fits only on the 8 of hearts. Each card therefore has one place to go instead of two.
That makes the game a good deal harder. Plan each column as a run in one suit from its King down, and turn up the face-down cards before the columns fill with cards that block each other.
Rule changes
| Rule | Standard Yukon Solitaire | Russian Solitaire |
|---|---|---|
| Building on the columns | Standard Yukon SolitaireDown in alternating colours: a red 7 on either black 8. | Russian SolitaireDown in the same suit: the 7 of hearts only on the 8 of hearts. |
| Moving cards | Standard Yukon SolitaireAny face-up card moves with every card on top of it, in order or not; only the card you pick has to fit. | Russian SolitaireThe same, but the card you pick has to be the same suit as the card it goes on. |
| Empty columns | Standard Yukon SolitaireOnly a King may go there, with the cards on top of it. | Russian SolitaireThe same. |
| The deal | Standard Yukon SolitaireSeven columns of 1 to 11 cards, 21 of them face down; no stock. | Russian SolitaireThe same. |
| Foundations | Standard Yukon SolitaireBuilt up by suit from Ace to King; cards stay there once played. | Russian SolitaireThe same. |
| End of the game | Standard Yukon SolitaireWon when all 52 cards are on the foundations; over when no move can send a card home or turn a card up. | Russian SolitaireThe same. With one place for each card, the game runs out of moves much more often. |
History
Russian Solitaire is a traditional variant of Yukon, the patience game described in Albert H. Morehead and Geoffrey Mott-Smith's The Complete Book of Solitaire and Patience Games (1949). It keeps Yukon's deal and changes only the building rule.