What Is Canfield Classic?
Canfield Classic — sometimes simply called Solitaire or Demon — is the original casino solitaire game invented in the 1890s. It plays very similarly to Canfield Solitaire but with the stock drawn three at a time and a particularly punishing reserve pile rule. The win rate hovers around 30%, making every completed game genuinely satisfying. The foundations start on a randomly determined rank and wrap around rather than always starting on Ace.
What You Need
- One standard deck of 52 playing cards
- One player
Setting Up the Game
- Deal 13 cards face-down in a pile — the Reserve. Flip the top card face-up.
- Deal the next card face-up to start the first Foundation pile. Whatever rank this card is, all four Foundation piles will start on the same rank.
- Deal 4 cards face-up in a row for the Tableau — four columns.
- The remaining cards form the Stock pile.
How to Play
- The top Reserve card is always available. Play it to the Tableau or Foundation whenever possible.
- Build Tableau columns downward in alternating colors — Red on Black, one rank lower each time.
- Build Foundation piles upward by suit, wrapping around from King to Ace if needed. Example: if foundations start on 7, each pile builds 7, 8, 9, 10, Jack, Queen, King, Ace, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.
- When an entire Tableau column empties, it MUST be immediately filled from the Reserve — you cannot leave it empty while the Reserve has cards.
- Flip Stock cards THREE at a time onto the Waste pile. The top card of the Waste pile is always available. When the Stock runs out, flip the Waste pile over to make a new Stock. Repeat as many times as needed.
Winning
Move all 52 cards to the four Foundation piles.
How This Differs from Standard Canfield
- Stock is drawn three at a time (not one at a time) — harder
- Foundations wrap around rather than always starting on Ace — adds complexity
- The forced Reserve fill rule remains the same — empty Tableau columns must come from Reserve first
Tips for New Players
- Prioritize the Reserve above everything — playing Reserve cards is how you create Tableau space and build momentum.
- Count cards cycling through the Stock — in three-at-a-time draw, the same card is accessible only every third flip. Know when your needed card comes up.
- The wrap-around foundation can be disorienting — write down the starting rank and the sequence at the start so you don’t accidentally misplace cards.