Free · Two decks · Eight foundations
Algerian Solitaire: Aces climb, Kings descend
Algerian Solitaire is a two-deck patience card game by RavalMatic in which you move every card onto eight foundation piles, four built up from Ace to King and four built down from King to Ace, each in a single suit. Cards on the table can also be stacked on one another, but only in the same suit and only one rank higher or lower. The game is dressed as a night in the Sahara: the title screen shows a robed card player with a teapot, and a Tuareg proverb appears before the cards are dealt.
Quick facts
- Genre: two-deck patience (solitaire)
- Foundations: four marked A, four marked K
- Table moves: same suit, one rank up or down
- Developer: RavalMatic, licensed to GamePix
- Layout: landscape, 800x600 embed
How to play Algerian Solitaire
The in-game How to play screen sums up the goal: move all the cards from the lower piles to the eight foundation piles above. Two rules govern how they get there.
- 1
Start a game
Click the heart-shaped button on the title screen. After the proverb, the table shows eight foundation slots along the top and a face-down stock in the bottom-right corner.
- 2
Deal from the stock
Click the stock to deal cards into the lower row of the table.
- 3
Build the foundations
The four A slots build upward in suit, from Ace to King. The four K slots build downward in suit, from King to Ace.
- 4
Rearrange the table
A table card can go on another table card of the same suit that is exactly one rank higher or lower. Use this to free the cards the foundations need.
Controls
Desktop
- Click an Algerian Solitaire card to move it toward a foundation
- Click the face-down stock in the lower right to deal more cards
- The ? icon in the top-right corner reopens the rules; X leaves the game
Phone & tablet
- Tap where the desktop version expects a click
- Hold the device in landscape; the table is wider than it is tall
- A larger screen such as a tablet makes two decks of cards easier to read
What sets Algerian Solitaire apart
Eight foundations, two directions
Half the foundations climb from Aces and half descend from Kings, so every suit has two places to go.
Hand-drawn Sahara theme
Night desert art, a robed card player, patterned rugs for the table, and a Tuareg proverb shown before the deal.
Suit-bound table moves
Stacking on the table follows suit and runs either up or down by one rank, which is stricter than Klondike's alternating colors.
Tips for Algerian Solitaire
- Play Aces and Kings early. The GamePix guide recommends it, since they open the foundations.
- Feed both ends of a suit. Each suit has an Ace pile and a King pile, so low clubs can climb while high clubs descend.
- Use table stacks as a waiting room. Park cards on same-suit neighbors until their foundation is ready.
- Check before dealing. New stock cards land in the lower row, so make every available move first.
- Reopen the rules if unsure. The ? button shows the full How to play text at any point.
Who is Algerian Solitaire for?
Experienced solitaire players
Looking for a two-deck game with more to track than Klondike.
Fans of classic patience variants
Algerian is a traditional patience first recorded in 1905.
Players who enjoy illustrated card games
The desert artwork and proverbs give each game some atmosphere.
Scoring & winning
You win when all cards from both decks sit on the eight foundations: four suits climbing from Ace to King and four descending from King to Ace. The screens we tested do not show a score counter or a timer, so the measure of success is simply finishing the deal. Algerian is known as a demanding patience, so not every deal comes out.
Frequently asked questions
What is Algerian Solitaire?+
Algerian Solitaire is a free two-deck patience card game by RavalMatic. You move every card onto eight foundations, four built up from Aces and four built down from Kings, each in one suit.
How do you play Algerian Solitaire?+
Click cards to move them onto the foundations and click the stock to deal more cards. Table cards can be stacked on a card of the same suit that is one rank higher or lower.
How many decks does Algerian Solitaire use?+
It uses two decks. That is why there are eight foundations: two for each suit, one starting from the Ace and one from the King.
What is the difference between Algerian Solitaire and Golf Solitaire?+
Algerian builds eight suit foundations from two decks. Golf uses one deck and moves cards to a single pile one rank up or down, with suits ignored.
Is Algerian Solitaire hard?+
Yes, it is one of the harder patience games. The GamePix description stresses careful calculation, and table moves are limited to same-suit cards one rank apart.
Can I play Algerian Solitaire on a tablet?+
Yes, it opens in mobile browsers and responds to taps. Use landscape orientation, and a tablet screen keeps the two-deck layout readable.
Privacy
Algerian Solitaire is licensed to and hosted by GamePix, and appears on this page through an embed. GamePix places the ads inside that embed and manages them; What Games Play does not control them. No account is required.
Lay out both decks?
Press the heart button, read the proverb, and start moving Aces up and Kings down.
↑ Play Algerian Solitaire
