Australian Patience - Play Online Free
Australian Solitaire, also known as Australian Patience, is a distinctive Klondike variant that blends two ideas: every tableau card is dealt face-up for complete information, and tableau building must follow the same suit rather than alternating colors. The full visibility makes it feel approachable, but the strict same-suit rule gives it real strategic bite. The result is a thoughtful, planning-heavy game that sits somewhere between Klondike and Yukon in character. This free online Australian Patience plays instantly in your browser — no download and no sign-up.
What Is Australian Patience?
Australian Patience is a single-player card game played with one standard 52-card deck. Twenty-eight cards are dealt face-up into seven columns of four, and the remaining twenty-four form a stock that you draw from one card at a time with unlimited redeals. Like all Klondike-family games, the goal is to build four foundations up from Ace to King by suit. What sets it apart is that you can see every tableau card from the start and must build down in suit.
The same-suit requirement is the heart of the aussie patience game. In standard Klondike you stack red on black; here a card may rest only on another of the identical suit one rank higher, which sharply limits your legal moves and makes empty columns precious. Combined with the open, all-cards-visible layout, this creates a game that rewards looking several moves ahead — a favorite among players who enjoy the deliberate, puzzle-like side of solitaire.
How to Play Australian Patience
Setup and Deal
Deal 28 cards face-up into seven columns of four cards each. Unlike Klondike, every tableau card is visible from the beginning. The remaining 24 cards form the stock pile, drawn one at a time, and four foundations wait to be built from Ace to King by suit.
Objective
Move all 52 cards to the four foundation piles, building each by suit in ascending order from Ace to King. You reach this by arranging the tableau into descending same-suit runs and drawing from the stock to release the cards you need.
Rules
- All 28 tableau cards are dealt face-up — full information from the start.
- Build tableau columns in descending order with same-suit cards only (not alternating colors).
- Any card or valid sequence can fill an empty tableau column.
- Draw one card at a time from the stock, with unlimited redeals.
- Build foundation piles from Ace to King by suit.
- Groups of same-suit descending sequences can be moved together.
Australian Patience Strategy Tips
- Use the full card visibility to plan several moves ahead before acting — the whole puzzle is in front of you.
- Same-suit building is very restrictive, so prioritize creating empty columns as flexible workspace.
- Draw from the stock only when you have exhausted all useful tableau moves.
- Look for cards that block the suit you need and plan how to free them.
- Empty columns are extremely valuable — do not fill them without a clear plan.
- Build long same-suit runs where you can, since only same-suit groups move together.
Australian Patience vs. Klondike
Australian Patience differs from standard Klondike in two big ways. First, all tableau cards are face-up, so there is no hidden information and far less luck — you can plan from the opening. Second, building is same-suit instead of alternating-color, which makes legal moves much scarcer and shifts the emphasis to careful sequencing and empty-column management. The net effect is a game that is easier to read but harder to maneuver, appealing to players who want more control and less reliance on the luck of the deal.
Tips for Beginners
New to Australian Patience? Take advantage of the open layout by studying the board before you move — find where key low cards are buried and plan a path to free them. Because same-suit building is tight, treat empty columns as your most valuable resource and avoid filling them carelessly. Draw from the stock only as a last resort, and use unlimited undo to test different lines. With practice you will learn to spot same-suit runs forming and steer the board toward them.
Australian Patience Strategy
Use the Full Visibility to Plan Ahead
Australian Patience deals every tableau card face-up, so unlike Klondike there are no hidden cards to surprise you — the entire challenge is visible from the first move. This rewards planning: take a moment to scan all seven columns, locate the Aces and low cards, and map out which same-suit sequences you can build before you touch anything. Because you can see everything, a thoughtful player can often spot several moves ahead, and the difference between winning and losing usually comes down to choosing the right order of moves rather than reacting to revealed cards.
Build Same-Suit Sequences Deliberately
The defining rule of Australian Solitaire is that tableau building follows the same suit, not alternating colors. This is far stricter than Klondike and is the main reason the game is harder. Plan which column will host each suit's run and avoid scattering cards that can never link up. A card can only go on a same-suit card one rank higher, so think in suits from the start and consolidate steadily rather than making convenient but off-suit moves you will have to untangle later.
Spend the Stock Wisely
Australian Patience includes a stock you draw from, but typically with limited or no redeals, so each pass through it matters. Make every productive tableau move before drawing, since a card you bring into play from the stock cannot always be recovered. Only Kings can fill empty columns, so plan your empties around a waiting King. Treat the stock as a finite resource to be spent deliberately, not a button to press whenever you are momentarily stuck.
Australian Patience Win Rate and Difficulty
Australian Patience is harder than standard Klondike despite its full visibility, because the same-suit building rule is so much stricter than alternating colors. The complete information helps a careful planner, but many deals still demand precise sequencing, and some are not winnable at all. It sits between the forgiving Klondike and the demanding Yukon family in character.
| Game | Cards Visible | Building Rule | Relative Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Klondike | Mostly hidden | Alternating colors | Easier |
| Australian Patience | All face-up | Same suit | Harder |
| Yukon | All face-up | Alternating colors | Medium |
The full visibility means losses are rarely down to bad luck — they are usually a matter of move order. That makes Australian Patience a satisfying, skill-driven game where replaying a lost deal often reveals the line you missed.
Common Mistakes in Australian Patience
- Building in alternating colors out of Klondike habit — Australian Patience requires same-suit sequences only.
- Drawing from the stock before exhausting every tableau move, wasting limited stock passes.
- Emptying a column without a King ready to fill it, since only Kings can claim an empty space.
- Sending mid-rank cards to the foundations too early and stranding the cards that needed them in the tableau.
- Rushing despite full visibility — the game rewards reading the whole board and planning the order of moves.
Australian Patience vs. Klondike and Yukon
Australian Patience, also known as Australian Solitaire, blends ideas from two classics. From Klondike it borrows the seven-column layout, the stock, and the Ace-to-King foundations; from Yukon it borrows the fully face-up board. Its own contribution is the strict same-suit building rule, which makes it tougher than either parent. The result is a thoughtful, planning-heavy game that feels familiar to Klondike players but rewards a very different, suit-focused style of play. If you enjoy Klondike but want a sterner, fully visible challenge, Australian Patience is an excellent next step.
Reading the Australian Patience Board
Because every card is face-up from the start, Australian Patience rewards players who read the whole board before moving. Take a moment at the opening to locate the Aces and low cards, identify which same-suit sequences are already forming, and decide which column will host each suit. The full visibility means you can genuinely plan several moves ahead, so the winning line is usually there to be found — the challenge is choosing the right order of moves rather than reacting to surprises. A few seconds of planning at each decision point prevents the kind of avoidable tangles that lose otherwise winnable deals.
Keep a particular eye on your stock and your empty columns, the two scarcest resources. Make every productive tableau move before drawing, and hold an empty column open until a King is ready to claim it. When you get stuck, unlimited undo lets you back up and try a different ordering, which is the fastest way to learn how Australian Patience's same-suit building rewards patient, deliberate play.
A Brief History of Australian Patience
Australian Patience — also called Australian Solitaire — is a relatively modern hybrid that combines the familiar Klondike framework with the open, face-up board of Yukon and adds its own same-suit building rule. It spread through computer and online solitaire collections, where players who knew Klondike well found a fresh, tougher twist that demanded a more suit-focused style of play. Its mix of approachable layout and genuine difficulty has earned it a steady following among solitaire fans looking for something familiar yet more challenging than the classic game.
Play Australian Patience Free Online — No Download
You can play Australian Patience free online right here, with no download and no sign-up. The game runs in your browser on desktop, tablet, and phone, so this strategic Klondike variant is always within reach. With its open layout and same-suit building, Australian Patience offers a more deliberate, planning-rich experience than classic Klondike — a great choice for players who enjoy thinking several moves ahead. Every deal is a fresh puzzle to solve.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is Australian Patience different from Klondike?
Two major differences: all cards are dealt face-up (giving full information), and tableau building requires same-suit cards instead of alternating colors. The full visibility makes planning easier, but same-suit building is much more restrictive.
Is Australian Patience harder than Klondike?
It depends on the player. The same-suit building rule makes moves more limited, but having all cards visible allows for deeper strategic planning. Experienced players often find it more satisfying than Klondike.
Why is it called Australian Patience?
The game originates from Australia and is one of the most popular solitaire variants in that region. It is sometimes simply called "Aussie Patience" or "Outback Patience."
Can I move groups of cards in Australian Patience?
Yes, but only same-suit descending sequences move together. Because building is same-suit, any run you have built is automatically a valid group to relocate, which makes long same-suit runs especially useful.
What can fill an empty column in Australian Patience?
Any card or valid sequence can fill an empty column — it is not restricted to Kings. This flexibility is what makes empty columns such a powerful tool for working around the strict same-suit rule.
Does Australian Patience have a stock pile?
Yes. You draw from a stock pile one card at a time with unlimited redeals, so you can cycle through the remaining cards repeatedly. Draw only after exhausting your tableau moves to make the most of each pass.
What is the best strategy for Australian Patience?
Use the full visibility to plan ahead, protect your empty columns as workspace, and build long same-suit runs since only same-suit groups move together. Free the cards blocking the suits you need before drawing from the stock.
Is Australian Patience free to play?
Yes. This Australian Patience is completely free — no download, no sign-up, and no fees. Just open the page and play in your browser on any device.