Is Double Klondike harder than regular Klondike?

It depends on the metric. There are twice as many cards to track, but also two extra tableau columns and unlimited redeals to compensate. Practical win rates with skilled play land roughly in the same range as Klondike — about 30–40% Draw 1, 15–25% Draw 3. The difficulty shows up more as game length and decision depth than as a lower win rate.

How long does a typical Double Klondike game take?

Most games take 15 to 30 minutes — roughly two to three times Klondike. The longer playtime is the main reason some players prefer it: it's a more involved session per game rather than a quick break.

Can every Double Klondike game be won?

No. Some deals are unwinnable from the start. Unlike single-deck Klondike, where Yan et al. (2005) put theoretical solvability at about 82%, Double Klondike has no peer-reviewed solvability result, so the exact theoretical figure is unknown. Practical win rates with skilled play are 30–40% Draw 1 and 15–25% Draw 3.

Should I play Draw 1 or Draw 3?

Draw 1 if you're learning the game or want a more reliable session. Draw 3 if you want the traditional challenge. The deals are the same in both modes; Draw 3 just makes useful cards harder to reach because two of every three are buried mid-triplet.

Is Double Klondike the same as Spider?

No. Both use two decks, but the rules are different. Spider builds down regardless of suit and clears the board by completing King-to-Ace runs in a single suit. Double Klondike builds down by alternating color and clears the board by sending every card to one of eight foundations. Spider has no foundations to fill manually; Double Klondike has eight.

Double Klondike Solitaire — Free online (two decks, 9 columns)

Play Double Klondike Solitaire — Two Decks, Nine Columns, Eight Foundations

Double Klondike is Klondike played with two decks. The rules are the same; the table is bigger. Nine tableau columns, eight foundations, and a 59-card stock replace Klondike's seven, four, and 24. The game is longer (15–30 minutes), the decisions are deeper, and the layout has space for sequences ten or more cards long. Free in your browser, no sign-up. Works offline once the page has loaded.

How Do You Play Double Klondike?

Goal: build all eight foundations from Ace to King by suit. Two foundations per suit means each suit gets completed twice.

Setup

Tableau: nine columns dealt 1, 2, 3 ... 9 cards. Only the top card of each column is face-up.
Stock: 59 cards face-down in the corner.
Waste: one card flipped at a time (Draw 1) or three at a time (Draw 3).
Foundations: eight empty spaces, two per suit. Build up Ace to King.

Double Klondike starting layout: nine tableau columns of 1 to 9 cards face-down with one face-up on top, stock and waste left, eight foundations right — Double Klondike's nine tableau columns hold 1 to 9 cards. The stock keeps 59 cards. Eight foundations build up Ace to King.

Rules

Build tableau columns down by alternating color. Black 9 on red 10. Red Queen on black King.
Move properly ordered sequences as a single block when alternating colors hold throughout.
Only Kings (or sequences starting with a King) can fill an empty tableau column.
Foundations build up by suit, Ace to King. Each suit completes twice.
The stock recycles unlimited times in our version.

How Does Double Klondike Differ From Klondike?

Same rules, different scale. The bigger board changes which moves matter.

Aspect	Klondike	Double Klondike
Decks	1 (52 cards)	2 (104 cards)
Tableau columns	7	9
Foundations	4	8 (two per suit)
Stock	24 cards	59 cards
Game length	5–10 minutes	15–30 minutes
Practical win rate (Draw 1, skilled)	~40%	~30–40%
Practical win rate (Draw 3, skilled)	~10–15%	~15–25%

Note that Double Klondike has no peer-reviewed solvability study like Yan et al. (2005) for single-deck Klondike. The figures above are practical estimates from large-scale play data. The two extra columns and unlimited redeals partly offset the doubled card count, which is why skilled-play win rates are similar to or slightly above Klondike rather than dramatically lower.

What's the Best Double Klondike Strategy?

Don't rush both copies of a card to the foundation. One copy in the tableau is mobility. Sending both up early closes off sequences you'll need later.
Empty columns are still gold. Nine columns gives you more room than Klondike, but the value of an empty column is the same — only Kings fill them, and they unlock the long sequences this game makes possible.
Expose face-down cards before drawing from stock. Information beats speed. A face-down card you flip is data you didn't have. A stock card you draw is the same card you'd have drawn anyway.
Build longer sequences when you can. With two decks, sequences of 10+ cards are common. They feel slow but they pay off — long blocks let you re-arrange the board with one move.
Build foundations evenly. Eight foundations, two per suit. Letting one suit get five ranks ahead of another is rarely worth it. Even progress keeps mid-rank cards available in the tableau.
Use unlimited redeals as planning tool, not crutch. Recycling the stock is free, but each pass shows you the same cards in the same order. Plan around what you've seen rather than waiting for the deck to deliver something different.

About This Version

This Double Klondike runs in your browser — free, no download, no sign-up. Choose Draw 1 or Draw 3 before you start. Install as an app on your phone or computer; once installed it works offline. Unlimited undo, statistics by mode, and a daily challenge that gives every player the same deal that day so you can compare times.

Other Solitaire Games to Try

Klondike — the classic single-deck version
Spider — two decks, ten columns, suit-based sequences
FreeCell — every card visible, almost every deal winnable
Yukon — seven columns, all cards face-up, no stock
Forty Thieves — two decks, ten columns, much harder