Play Rainbow Solitaire Online - Where Foundations Follow the Rainbow
Rainbow Solitaire is the friendly cousin of Canfield. You get the same 13-card reserve and the same matching-rank foundations. The difference is the stock: Rainbow deals one card at a time. All four foundations start with the same rank, set by a card dealt at the start. Each foundation builds up in suit and wraps from King to Ace.
How to Play Rainbow Solitaire
Objective: Move all 52 cards to the four foundations. Each foundation builds up by suit from the base rank to 13 cards.
Game Setup
- Reserve: 13 cards in one pile. Only the top card is in play.
- Base card: One card goes to the first foundation. Its rank is the start rank for all four foundations.
- Tableau: Four piles of one card each.
- Stock: The remaining 34 cards. Click to deal one card to the waste.
- Foundations: Four piles that build up by suit from the base rank.
The Rainbow Rule
- The card dealt to the first foundation sets the base rank.
- Every other foundation must also start with that rank.
- Example: the base card is the 8 of Hearts. Then all foundations start with 8s.
- Foundations build up by suit: 8-9-10-J-Q-K-A-2-3-4-5-6-7.
- The build wraps from King to Ace with no break.
Basic Rules
- The tableau builds down in alternating colors. Red goes on black, black on red.
- Tableau builds wrap too: a King may sit on an Ace of the other color.
- Ordered runs of tableau cards may move together.
- An empty tableau pile fills at once from the reserve.
- Once the reserve is empty, any card in play may fill a space.
- The stock deals one card at a time to the waste. The top waste card is in play.
- Two redeals are allowed. That gives three passes through the stock.
Winning Strategy Tips
- Drain the reserve first. Those 13 cards are your biggest obstacle.
- Clear tableau piles. Each cleared pile pulls a reserve card into play.
- Learn the wrap. With a base rank of 8, the Ace sits in the middle of the build.
- Do not rush the waste. A card left on the waste comes back on the next pass.
- Build foundations evenly. Racing one suit ahead can strand cards you still need.
- Count your passes. You get three trips through the stock, so plan each one.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Ignoring the reserve. You cannot win while 13 cards sit locked away.
- Forgetting the wrap. King builds to Ace on foundations. An Ace accepts a King in the tableau.
- Burning redeals early. Cycle the stock only when the board has no moves left.
- Racing one foundation. Uneven building locks up cards the tableau needs.
History and Origins
Rainbow is a long-documented variation of Canfield, also called Demon. Canfield is the casino patience named after the gambler Richard Canfield. Canfield turns the stock in packets of three. Rainbow turns it one card at a time and limits the redeals instead. The name evokes the four foundations climbing together through the full circle of ranks.
Rainbow vs Canfield vs Klondike
- Foundation start: Klondike always starts with Aces. Canfield and Rainbow use a dealt base rank.
- Reserve: Klondike has none. Canfield and Rainbow use a 13-card reserve.
- Stock: Canfield deals three cards with endless passes. Rainbow deals one card with two redeals.
- Difficulty: Rainbow is harder than Klondike but kinder than Canfield.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who chooses the starting rank?
Nobody - the deal does! The 14th card dealt goes to the first foundation. Its rank becomes the base rank for the whole game. This is the classic Canfield rule, and Rainbow inherits it.
Can foundations start with different ranks?
No. All four foundations must start with the base rank. If the base card is the 7 of Hearts, the other three piles start with the other 7s. Each foundation then builds up in its own suit.
How does the wrap-around work?
Say your base rank is 8. Foundations build 8-9-10-J-Q-K-A-2-3-4-5-6-7. The build passes from King to Ace with no break. Each foundation ends one rank below the base rank, with 13 cards. The tableau wraps too: a King may go on an Ace of the other color.
How do empty tableau spaces work?
While the reserve has cards, an empty pile refills at once from the reserve. After the reserve runs out, any card or run in play may fill a space.
How many times can I go through the stock?
Three times in total: the first pass plus two redeals. The waste keeps its order when it turns over. So you can plan later passes around what you saw before.
Is Rainbow harder than Klondike?
Somewhat. The 13-card reserve is a real obstacle, and the wrap takes practice. But Rainbow is kinder than standard Canfield. Dealing one card at a time lets you reach every stock card on every pass.
Follow the rainbow to solitaire victory - where matching foundations create colorful challenges!