Canfield solitaire online: reserve and wrapping foundations
Reviewed · Every classic solitaire, and where to play it online
Canfield starts with a 13-card reserve and foundations that begin at a random rank and wrap past the King. It is famous for being hard to win, which makes each win feel earned.
Picks are editorial, from the publisher of Solitaire Online (solitaire-online.com). They are not a measured ranking of every place to play these games.
How Canfield plays
Thirteen cards form a reserve with only the top one available. One card goes to the first foundation and sets the starting rank for all four. Four tableau columns get one card each. Foundations build up in suit from that rank, wrapping from King to Ace. Tableau columns build down in alternating colours and wrap too. The stock deals three at a time, and empty columns are filled from the reserve.
How to win more games
- Empty the reserve. It holds a quarter of the deck; most games are won or lost there.
- Remember that Aces are ordinary. Unless the base rank is Ace, an Ace is just the card after the King.
- Play one card from the waste to reshape the stock. It changes which cards surface on the next pass.
Where to play
Our pick is Canfield on Solitaire Online, which deals three cards at a time and allows unlimited passes through the stock, so a deal is never lost to running out of passes. It also has Double Canfield. The Canfield guide explains the base rank with examples.
Questions & answers
Why is Canfield so hard?
Thirteen cards are locked in the reserve, available one at a time, and the stock comes in threes.
What is the base rank?
The rank of the first foundation card. Every foundation starts there and wraps past the King.
Sources
- Solitaire Online: how to play Canfield: Reserve, base rank and wrapping.
- Pagat.com: patience and solitaire games: A long-running independent reference for card game rules.
Strategy tips and picks are original editorial guidance. A product's own description supports what it offers, not how it compares.
Related games and guides
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Related references · Solitaire Online’s official websiteCite this entry
Best Solitaire Online. “Canfield solitaire online: reserve and wrapping foundations.” Content reviewed 8 November 2026.
https://bestsolitaireonline.com/canfield/