When Can You Move a Sequence in Klondike?
A movable Klondike sequence must already descend by one rank and alternate colors at every link. The distinction is practical, not merely verbal.
A movable Klondike sequence must already descend by one rank and alternate colors at every link.
The highest card in the moved group must fit the destination exactly as a single tableau card would.
You may move a shorter tail of a valid sequence when that tail has a legal destination. The useful distinction is between a card that looks possible and a move that satisfies every condition at once.
How the rule works
Face-down cards can never be included in a moved sequence.
A group containing a same-color link or a rank gap cannot move as one unit.
Empty columns and holding spaces are working resources, not neutral places to park cards indefinitely.
In Klondike, placement and access are inseparable. A move may obey the red-black or foundation order yet still cover a needed waste card, spend the only empty column, or leave a hidden card untouched.
Read the board in two layers: first test whether the move is legal, then ask which face-down card, stock card, or empty lane will be affected next.
Worked card examples
The cards below turn the rule into a position you can verify rather than a phrase to memorize.
A face-up 9♥–8♠–7♦–6♣ sequence may move together onto 10♣.
Check both the immediate connection and the card that will become available after the move. That second consequence is often where two apparently similar choices diverge.
From that same sequence, 7♦–6♣ may move separately onto an exposed 8♣.
The counterexample matters just as much: it shows which single condition fails and prevents an accidental rule from being learned.
A reliable check before moving
Before committing the move, run three separate checks:
- Inspect every adjacent pair inside the proposed group, not only its first card.
- Verify that the destination satisfies every rank, color, suit, and space rule that applies.
- Look at the position after the move: what becomes exposed, blocked, or newly usable?
If all three checks pass, make the move and reassess the new endpoints. A legal move can change access, available workspace, and the value of the next legal move.
How to use this at the table
Use the rule as a small decision procedure, not as an isolated sentence. Identify the available card, test its destination, and then inspect what the move uncovers or consumes.
To test the explanation on a live deal, open Play Klondike Draw 1 and reproduce the card example before extending the plan.
Sources used
- SRC-001 PlaySoli implementation and editorial specification.
- SRC-002 Current PlaySoli product rules: Solitaire Turn 1.
This guide distinguishes PlaySoli's current game rules from historical variants and marks disputed claims instead of presenting them as settled facts.