Canfield Solitaire

The Casino Classic • 13-Card Reserve • High-Stakes Logic
Canfield Solitaire Game

Known in British circles as "Demon," Canfield is a legendary solitaire game made famous in 19th-century Saratoga gambling dens. It’s tight, fast, and notoriously difficult to win—but infinitely rewarding to master.

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How to Play

1

The 13-Card Reserve

A "Reserve" pile of 13 cards is dealt face-down, with the top card face-up. This is your primary engine—you must use these cards to clear the tableau.

2

Base Foundation

A single card is dealt to start the first foundation. All other foundations must start with the same rank (e.g., if a 7 is dealt, all foundations must start with 7s).

3

Alternate-Color Building

In the tableau, you build downward in alternating colors (red on black, black on red). Sequences can wrap around from Ace to King.

4

The Draw Pile

Draw cards from the stock three at a time. You have unlimited passes through the deck, but be careful—the tight layout means it's easy to get blocked!

Common Questions

Why is it so hard to win?
The odds are roughly 1 in 30. In the original gambling dens, you bought a deck for $50 and earned $5 back for every card moved to the foundations. You only needed to clear 11 cards to break even!

What is the "Lead" card?
The "Lead" card is the first card dealt to the foundations. It determines the starting rank for all four suits. If a Queen is the lead, you build foundations: Q-K-A-2... up to Jack.