Play Colonel Solitaire Online for Free
Colonel is one of the most demanding double-deck Napoleon family games. Twelve tableau columns of three face-up cards each use same-suit building, and the traditional rules add a positional constraint that limits where each card can legally move. A wide layout and deep stock make it a serious strategic challenge with a win rate around 20%.
What is Colonel Solitaire?
Colonel Solitaire is a two-deck patience game in the Napoleon at St Helena family. Twelve tableau columns are dealt three cards each (all face-up), giving 36 tableau cards and leaving 68 in the stock. Tableau columns build down in the same suit only. Only one card at a time may be moved. Eight foundations (four per deck) must be built from Ace up to King in suit. One card is drawn at a time from the stock; no redeals. Colonel is closely related to Limited Solitaire and shares its twelve-column, same-suit layout.
Colonel Solitaire layout explained
The twelve-column layout distributes the 36 tableau cards broadly, giving more initial options than the ten-column Forty Thieves but with shallower columns of only three cards. All cards are face-up from the start, so the full positional puzzle is immediately visible. The same-suit constraint is the primary source of difficulty: only cards of identical suit can build on one another, making each tableau column a single-suit lane rather than a multi-suit mixing zone.
How to play Colonel Solitaire
Colonel Solitaire rules and objective
Move all 104 cards to the eight foundation piles, each built from Ace to King in a single suit. A card may be placed on a tableau column if it is one rank lower and of the same suit as the current top card. Only one card at a time may be moved. Empty columns accept any single card. Draw one card at a time from the stock; no redeals.
Game setup
- Shuffle two standard 52-card decks together (104 cards total).
- Deal three rows of twelve cards, all face-up, into twelve columns.
- Reserve space above for eight foundation slots.
- Place the remaining 68 cards face-down as the stock.
Strategies to win Colonel Solitaire
- Treat each column as a single-suit lane. With same-suit-only building, the most efficient strategy is to dedicate each column to one suit and consolidate cards of that suit together. Mixed-suit columns are dead ends.
- Find Aces before drawing. All cards are face-up, so scan the twelve columns for Aces immediately. Plan a sequence of moves to expose and play each Ace to its foundation before touching the stock.
- Use empty columns as suit relay points. Move a card to an empty column temporarily to make room for a same-suit card that would otherwise be inaccessible. Empty columns are the primary tool for rearranging within the same-suit constraint.
- Draw from the stock only after exhausting tableau options. With 68 undrawn cards and no redeal, each stock draw is final. Stock cards may arrive in any suit order, so defer drawing until you have established clear receiving positions for any suit.
- Keep multiple suits advancing simultaneously. Focusing on a single suit while others stall creates tableau congestion: eight suits competing for twelve columns will quickly run out of landing space if seven are neglected.
Colonel vs similar double-deck same-suit games
| Game | Columns | Build rule | Sequences move | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forty Thieves | 10 × 4 | Same suit | No | ~15% |
| Limited | 12 × 3 | Same suit | No | ~25% |
| Colonel | 12 × 3 | Same suit | No | ~20% |
| Sixty Thieves | 12 × 5 | Same suit | No | ~10% |
Colonel Solitaire FAQ
How does Colonel differ from Limited Solitaire?
Both games use two decks, twelve columns of three face-up cards, same-suit building, and single-card movement from a 68-card stock. They share the same layout and core rules. Colonel is the harder variant due to its traditional positional constraint (cards can only be moved to a shallower position within the column order), making it a more demanding version of an already challenging game.
Why is Colonel Solitaire named after a military rank?
Named patience games in the Napoleon family often carry military titles - Forty Thieves itself refers to Ali Baba's adversaries, while variants like Midshipman, Emperor, and Colonel reflect a hierarchy of command. The name "Colonel" likely reflects the game's demanding nature: it sits above Limited in difficulty as a colonel outranks a private, and the tight constraints require high-level strategic thinking.
Can I move sequences in Colonel Solitaire?
No. Colonel uses the single-card movement rule. Even a valid same-suit sequence built on the tableau must be moved one card at a time. This makes reorganising columns extremely methodical and is the main reason the game has a lower win rate than alternating-colour or sequence-moving variants.
What is the win rate for Colonel Solitaire?
Colonel wins approximately 20% of deals with careful play. The same-suit building constraint, single-card movement, and 68-card stock with no redeal create a demanding combination. Deals where multiple Aces of the same suit are buried at the bottom of the same column are extremely difficult to rescue. The wide twelve- column layout provides some compensation by offering more initial rearrangement options.