Parallels Solitaire, also known as British Blockade, is a fascinating card game where you build foundations in two directions simultaneously - Aces ascending and Kings descending! With its unique reversal mechanic and strategic tableau management, this game offers a refreshing twist on traditional solitaire.
Objective: Build all cards to the foundations - Aces building up and Kings building down, all by suit, until the foundations meet.
The unique feature of Parallels is that cards become available based on their position:
One of the most exciting features of Parallels Solitaire is the reversal mechanic. When two foundations of the same suit meet (for example, your Ace pile reaches 7 and your King pile reaches 8), you can transfer cards between them!
Example: If Hearts Ace foundation is at 6 and Hearts King foundation is at 7, you can move cards from one foundation to the other. This flexibility can save seemingly blocked games!
Important: You cannot move the base cards (original Ace and King) - they stay in place.
Unlike most solitaire games that require horizontal thinking, Parallels demands vertical awareness. Always consider which cards will become available when you remove cards above or below them.
Since you're building in two directions simultaneously, pay attention to where your foundations will meet. Planning 3-4 moves ahead helps you position cards for optimal reversal opportunities.
After the bases and the first row are dealt, 86 cards remain in the stock. That is enough for up to nine more rows. Each deal first fills every empty space from the stock. Then it lays a fresh row of ten below. Deal only when you are stuck — cards on the table stay until played.
Parallels Solitaire, also known as British Blockade, is a classic patience game that gained popularity in the early 20th century. The game's name comes from the parallel foundation columns that run alongside the tableau. The British Blockade name likely references the strategic "blockade" created by cards in the middle rows that can trap other cards.
Parallels is considered a moderate to difficult solitaire game. Success requires:
Win rate for average players is approximately 20-30%, making victories feel truly rewarding!
A card is available if at least one of its shorter (narrower) edges is free - meaning no card is adjacent to it on that side. Top and bottom row cards are always available because their edges are naturally free.
When two foundations of the same suit meet (for example, Ace pile has reached 6 and King pile has reached 7), you can move cards between them. This allows you to reposition cards and continue building even when one direction seems blocked. The base cards (original Ace and King) cannot be moved.
Only deal new rows when you have no more available moves with the current cards. Once you deal a new row, those cards become part of the tableau and must be managed. You may keep dealing until the stock runs out. The 86 stock cards allow up to nine more rows.
When dealing new rows, all empty spaces must be filled first before the new row is dealt. Spaces are filled in order from left to right, top to bottom. This is automatic in our online version.
No! Unlike Klondike or Spider, you cannot build on the tableau. Cards can only be moved from the tableau to the foundations. This is what makes the game challenging - you must carefully plan which cards to play to avoid blocking others.
Experience the unique challenge of Parallels Solitaire - master bidirectional building today!