Use the open first rows.
British Blockade uses two decks. Eight Ace and King foundations begin the game. Cards are dealt in rows of ten, and the available edges of the blockade change as rows are added.
Last updated: September 2026
Use the open first rows
The first two rows expose every card, and each move to a foundation immediately takes a stock replacement. This is the best time to advance both ends of a suit.
Once a third row is dealt, interior cards are blocked unless a cell above or below them is empty. Plan which columns to open.
Work the blockade edges
The top and bottom rows remain available, while a card in a middle row needs a free short edge. An empty cell can expose another card in the same column.
At a standstill, the stock fills gaps from left to right and top to bottom before adding a new row. Those refills may restore a foundation move.
Reverse foundation tops purposefully
A non-base foundation top can move across to the other foundation of its suit if it fits the receiving sequence. This can expose a rank that accepts a currently available blockade card.
The original Ace and King remain fixed. Check for a useful reversal before dealing because the game deals only when foundation moves are exhausted.
Choose columns that expose a second card
After the third row, removing a card can free the short edge of a card directly above or below it. Look for columns where one foundation move will expose another playable rank.
Gaps are filled in reading order when foundation progress stops. The next stock card may cover an opening, so use any exposed neighbor before triggering a refill.
A foundation reversal can expose a rank that accepts a blockade card. It can also be undone without net progress. Use it when the new foundation top makes a concrete tableau move possible, then return to the growing blockade.