Play Double Red Moon Solitaire Online — Red Moon With Two Decks

Double Red Moon takes Red Moon's kind opening to two decks. The eight aces are dealt to the first slot of each of eight rows, the slot beside each ace is left empty, and the other ninety-six cards fill the rows from the third slot on. A gap takes the card of the same suit one rank higher than the card to its left; a leftmost gap takes an ace. Two redeals. Win by making every row read ace to king in one suit.

Setup

Shuffle two decks and take out the aces. Place one ace in the first slot of each row, leave the slot beside it empty, and deal the remaining cards face up into the rest of the row. Every row starts with its ace seated and a live gap right next to it.

Rules

• Rows build up in suit from the ace in the first slot to the king.
• A gap takes one card: the card of the same suit one rank higher than the card to its left. A gap to the right of a king, or of another gap, is dead until a redeal.
• A leftmost gap takes an ace.
• Twins: two decks mean two of every card; either copy continues a run, and two rows share each suit.
• The redeal: when no move remains, every card that is not part of its row's run from the first slot is gathered, shuffled and dealt back after the runs, leaving a gap after each run. Two redeals a game.
• Win when all eight rows read ace to king in one suit; the last slot of each row stays empty.

Strategy

Eight live gaps, each wanting a two, make the opening generous; two decks make the middle game a matter of bookkeeping. Each suit has two rows and two copies of every card, and the game is won by keeping the two runs of a suit from fighting over the same twin.

• Read the runs, not the cards. Every row wants one suit in order from its first slot. Before any move, find the longest run each row already has and work to extend it.
• Never open a dead gap. A gap to the right of a king takes nothing. Moving a card away from beside a king leaves a slot that is lost until the next redeal.
• Prefer the move that creates a live gap. Where a card leaves matters as much as where it lands. Take it from a slot whose left neighbour is a low card with its successor still loose.
• Count the redeals. A redeal keeps the seated runs and reshuffles the rest, with a gap after each run. Seat as much as you can before spending one; what is seated is safe.
• Play the twos first. Every opening gap wants the two of its row's suit, and there are two of each to place.
• Assign each twin to a row. When both copies of a card are loose, give one to each row of its suit and do not move them again.

Where It Sits in the Gaps Family

Double Red Moon is the two-deck member of the Red Moon line on the Gaps engine: Red Moon's deal over eight rows. Double Blue Moon opens with the gaps where the aces were dealt; Red Moon and Galary play the same deal with one deck.

Other Games to Try

• Red Moon — the one-deck original
• Double Blue Moon — two decks, the gaps where the aces were
• Galary — Red Moon with gaps filled from either side
• Double Montana — two decks with the aces removed

About This Online Version

Double Red Moon runs in your browser — free, no download, no sign-up. Install it as an app on your phone or computer and it works offline. You get unlimited undo, a hint button that names a legal move, statistics that track your wins and times, and seeded deals: every game has a seed you can replay, so a board you enjoyed (or lost) can be played again exactly.