Rainbow - Play Online Free
Rainbow is a friendlier, more winnable take on Canfield. It keeps Canfield's signature thirteen-card reserve, random foundation start rank, and wrap-around building, but relaxes the tableau rule so any suit can stack on any other — and it lets you draw one card at a time instead of three. Those two changes transform a punishing casino patience into an enjoyable, frequently solvable game. This free online Rainbow Solitaire plays instantly in your browser — no download and no sign-up.
What Is Rainbow Solitaire?
Rainbow is a single-player card game played with one standard 52-card deck. Like Canfield, it features a thirteen-card reserve, four tableau columns, four foundations, and a foundation start rank chosen at random each deal, with sequences wrapping from King back to Ace. The goal is to move all 52 cards to the foundations, each built up by suit from the random starting rank.
What makes the rainbow game so much easier than Canfield is its any-suit building rule — the source of its colorful name, since all suits and colors mix freely on the tableau. Where Canfield demands alternating colors, Rainbow lets any card rest on any card one rank higher, dramatically widening your options. Drawing one card at a time (instead of Canfield's three) also gives you full access to the stock. Together these changes lift the win rate to roughly 60–70%, making Rainbow a relaxing way to enjoy Canfield's distinctive reserve-and-wrap mechanics.
How to Play Rainbow
Setup and Deal
The setup mirrors Canfield: deal thirteen cards to a reserve (only the top one playable), one card to each of four tableau columns, and one card to set the random foundation start rank. The remaining cards form the stock, drawn one at a time with unlimited redeals.
Objective
Move all 52 cards to the four foundations, building each suit upward from the random starting rank and wrapping from King back to Ace. You reach this by working down the reserve, building the tableau by any suit, and cycling the stock. Clear every card to win.
Rules
- The foundation start rank is randomly determined each game.
- Build foundations up by suit with wrap-around.
- Build tableau columns in descending rank with any suit (the key difference from Canfield).
- Draw 1 card at a time from the stock with unlimited redeals.
- Play the top card of the reserve pile to the tableau or foundation.
- Any card can fill an empty tableau column.
Rainbow Strategy Tips
- Any-suit building gives maximum flexibility — use it to uncover reserve cards quickly.
- Still make the reserve your priority; emptying it opens the most new options.
- Single-card draws give full access to the stock, so cycle it to fish out the cards you need.
- Build the foundations steadily — wrap-around means no rank is ever a dead end.
- Note the random start rank each deal and mentally reorder which cards count as "low."
- Keep your four columns flexible, neither hopelessly clogged nor needlessly emptied.
Rainbow vs. Canfield
Rainbow and Canfield share the same skeleton — a thirteen-card reserve, four columns, four foundations, a random start rank, and wrap-around building — but Rainbow eases two rules. It swaps Canfield's alternating-color tableau for any-suit building and replaces the three-card draw with a one-card draw. Each change adds flexibility, and together they raise the win rate from Canfield's tough 15–20% to a comfortable 60–70%. If you love Canfield's reserve-and-wrap feel but find it too punishing, Rainbow is the welcoming version that lets you win far more often.
Tips for Beginners
New to Rainbow? Lean on the any-suit rule to keep cards moving and to chip away at the reserve, which should always be your first focus. Take note of the random foundation start rank at the beginning of each deal, and remember that sequences wrap from King to Ace, which often hides easy plays. Cycle the stock freely thanks to unlimited redeals and single-card draws. With a high win rate, Rainbow is a forgiving, enjoyable introduction to the Canfield family.
Play Rainbow Solitaire Free Online — No Download
You can play Rainbow Solitaire free online right here, with no download and no sign-up. The game runs in your browser on desktop, tablet, and phone, so this accessible Canfield variant is always within reach. With its any-suit building, single-card draws, and signature reserve, Rainbow delivers Canfield's distinctive feel with a much friendlier win rate — ideal for players who want the reserve-and-wrap challenge without the frustration. Every deal is a colorful, frequently solvable puzzle.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is Rainbow different from Canfield?
Two key differences: (1) any suit can be placed on any other in the tableau (instead of alternating colors), and (2) you draw 1 card at a time instead of 3. Both changes make Rainbow significantly easier than Canfield.
What is the win rate for Rainbow?
Rainbow has a much higher win rate than Canfield — about 60-70% of deals are solvable thanks to the relaxed building rules.
Why is it called Rainbow?
The name reflects the colorful, any-suit building rule — all colors and suits can mix freely on the tableau, creating a "rainbow" of cards.
What does wrap-around mean in Rainbow?
Wrap-around means sequences continue past the ends of the rank order — a King can be followed by an Ace and vice versa. Because the foundations start at a random rank, wrap-around is what lets every suit be completed.
What does the reserve pile do in Rainbow?
The reserve is a stack of thirteen cards with only the top one playable. Working it down is central to winning, since each reserve card you remove reveals a new one. Even in this easier variant, a neglected reserve will stall your game.
What is the best strategy for Rainbow?
Make the reserve your priority and use the any-suit building rule to keep cards moving. Note the random start rank each deal, use wrap-around to avoid dead ends, and cycle the stock freely thanks to single-card draws and unlimited redeals.
Does Rainbow start the foundations at Ace?
Not necessarily. Like Canfield, the first card placed sets a random foundation start rank for all four foundations, and sequences wrap from King back to Ace. You might build up from 8s in one game and Jacks in another.
Is Rainbow Solitaire free to play?
Yes. This Rainbow is completely free — no download, no sign-up, and no fees. Just open the page and play in your browser on any device.