How Can a Blocked Card Be Reached in Klondike Draw 3?

A blocked Draw 3 card becomes reachable in one of two ways: play the cards above it in the current waste packet, or remove cards earlier in the stock so the target lands on top of a packet during a later pass.

Seeing the target is not enough. It must become the top waste card.

Play down through the current packet

Suppose the packet is 6♥ below J♣ below 3♠. Only 3♠ is initially available. If 4♦ is exposed, move 3♠ onto it. J♣ is now top; if Q♥ is available, move J♣. The target 6♥ is finally accessible.

This is the cleanest route because it releases the card during the same pass.

Change the packet alignment

If 3♠ or J♣ has no destination, the target may need a later pass. Draw 3 exposes every third remaining card. Removing one or two cards that appear before the target changes its position in that count.

For example, a target 5♣ that is fourth among the remaining stock cards is the first card of its packet and is covered. Remove one earlier card during the pass; on the next pass, 5♣ becomes third among those cards and can be topmost.

Create destinations before cycling

Sometimes the access problem is really a tableau problem. Moving 8♠ onto 9♥ may expose 7♦, which can receive 6♣ from the waste. A new destination lets you peel the packet instead of merely changing its alignment.

Track only what matters

You do not need to memorize the entire stock. Record the target, the one or two cards covering it, and any playable card before it that can change the count.

1. Identify the target’s position in its packet.
2. Try to play the top covering card.
3. Build destinations for the remaining cover.
4. If that fails, remove one or two earlier cards and check the next pass.

This topic applies specifically to Play Klondike Draw 3; compare the simpler access in Play Klondike Draw 1.

Sources used

• 1 PlaySoli implementation and editorial specification.
• 3 Current PlaySoli product rules: Solitaire Turn 3.
• 2 Current PlaySoli product rules: Solitaire Turn 1.