How is American Canister different from British Canister?

Two rules. A packed run moves as a unit, where British Canister moves one card at a time, and any card may fill an empty column, where British Canister allows only a king. The deal and the alternating-colour build are the same.

Can I move a run into an empty column?

Yes. A space takes any card or any packed run in alternating colours, which is what makes a space a hinge for reordering a column.

No. All fifty-two cards are dealt face up into the eight columns, and every move is on the table from the start.

How is Canister different?

Canister builds down by rank regardless of suit; American Canister builds down in alternating colours. Both move runs and allow any card into a space.

Is American Canister winnable?

Usually. With everything in view, runs that travel and open spaces, a careful player wins most deals; a lost game is nearly always a buried king or ace with no route out.

American Canister Solitaire - Play Online & 100% Free

Play American Canister Solitaire Online — The Open Castle With Runs

American Canister is the Canister board played the generous way. Eight columns of six and seven cards are dealt face up with no stock; columns build down in alternating colours; a packed run moves as a unit; and any card or run may fill an empty column. Four foundations build up from the ace; bank all 52 to win. British Canister is the same board with kings-only spaces and single-card moves.

Setup

Shuffle one deck. Deal eight columns face up: six cards in the first two and last two, seven in the middle four. Everything is dealt; there is no stock. The four foundations start empty.

Rules

Foundations build up in suit from ace to king.
Tableau builds down in alternating colours: a red seven on a black eight.
Runs travel: a packed run in alternating colours moves as a unit.
Spaces take any card or any packed run.
Win when all four foundations are complete.

Strategy

Everything is in view and nothing is dealt later, so American Canister is a pure planning game. Runs that travel and open spaces make it one of the family's most winnable; the seven-deep middle columns are where the game is decided.

Bank the aces and twos first. Nothing on the board needs them as hosts, and a foundation that starts early finishes early.
Make a space, then use it as a hinge. Any run may move into a space, so a space lets you split a column at any packed point and put the pieces back in a better order.
Dig the middle four. The seven-deep columns hold most of the low cards. Choose the one whose top cards all have hosts and empty it first.
Keep runs long. A long packed run is one move to relocate; three short runs are three. Build onto the same run where you can.
Watch the kings. A king can only sit at a column's base or in a space. Move kings into spaces early and build down on them.
Count both hosts. Every card has two hosts of the other colour. Before you bury one under a run, find the other.

Where It Sits in the Castle Family

American Canister is the Canister board with the alternating-colour build, run moves and open spaces; British Canister tightens it to kings-only spaces and single cards, and Canister keeps the runs and spaces with a rank-only build. The run-move axis it carries is shared with Lasker and the Cruel line to come.

Other Games to Try

British Canister — the same board, kings only, one card at a time
Canister — the same board built down by rank
Castles in Spain — alternating colours on Baker's Dozen's deal
Lasker — runs on Chessboard's chosen-base board

About This Version

American Canister 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.