Keep the line healthy for the next removal — not just for this one.
Decade removes consecutive runs of cards from a growing line whenever their values sum to exactly 10, 20, or 30. Face cards all count as 10. The decision is not which removal is valid — often several are — but which one leaves the remaining line in the best shape for what the stock will deal next.
Last updated: June 2026
How Decade works
Decade begins with a small number of cards dealt into a single horizontal line. After each removal, one new card is dealt from the stock and added to the right end of the line. Removals take consecutive cards from the line — any unbroken adjacent sequence — whose values sum to exactly 10, 20, or 30. Face cards (Jack, Queen, King) each count as 10, regardless of their traditional rank.
After a removal, the cards on either side of the gap join together (or the gap closes). The game continues until either all 52 cards have been removed (a win) or the line grows to a state where no valid removal exists and the stock is exhausted.
The totals available expand the game’s flexibility significantly. A single face card (10) is an immediate removal at the 10-total. Two face cards adjacent is an immediate 20. Three face cards adjacent is an immediate 30. Similarly, a run of small numbers can combine into 10 (e.g. 3+7, 2+8, 4+3+3) or 20 (e.g. 9+8+3, 6+7+7).
Face cards as anchors
Because face cards always count as 10, they have a unique property: a single face card is a complete 10-total on its own. This makes them the most flexible cards in the line — they can always be removed alone or as part of a longer run summing to 20 or 30.
The anchor value: a face card placed between two segments of the line can serve as the “bridge” that allows those segments to connect for removal. If the left segment sums to 10 and the right segment also sums to 10, the face card in the middle creates a run summing to 30. If you remove the face card alone (10), the two segments remain separate.
Avoid removing face cards prematurely when they are bridging useful combinations. A face card adjacent to a 2 and a 5 on one side, and a 3 on the other, enables multiple possible removals. Removing the face card alone closes off those options.
Before removing a face card alone (as a 10), check whether it is adjacent to cards that combine with it to reach 20 or 30. If it enables a 3+ card removal summing to 20 or 30, that larger removal is almost always better — it clears more of the line at once and reduces the line length faster.
Choosing among multiple valid removals
Decade frequently presents two or three valid removals simultaneously. Choosing well requires evaluating what each removal leaves behind:
- Count the runs created. After a removal, the cards on each side of the gap reconnect. Does the new combination of reconnected cards enable a new removal immediately? If removal A creates an immediate follow-up but removal B does not, prefer A.
- Prefer longer removals when they leave balanced short values. A run of 5 cards summing to 20 is better than two separate 2-card removals summing to the same total — it clears more line length per decision. However, if the 5-card removal leaves the line with a cluster of face cards and no small-number neighbors, the short removals might be worth taking to preserve flexibility.
- Avoid stranding values that cannot combine. If a removal leaves a sequence like 9-9 adjacent with nothing else, those two 9s (totaling 18, not 10, 20, or 30) become useless until other cards arrive adjacent to them. Removals that create such isolated high-odd-value pairs are costly.
When to add cards versus remove
In Decade, you always add one card after each removal (the next stock card goes to the right end of the line). This is automatic. The decision is whether to remove before adding or to hold removals until more cards arrive.
In practice, you should always remove when a valid removal exists, because:
- Removing clears space in the line. A shorter line has more flexibility for new card arrivals at either end.
- Holding a removal does not make it better — the removed cards disappear regardless of when you take them, and waiting just defers the gain while the line grows.
- The only reason to “hold” would be if removing now destroys a combination that the next stock card would complete. But since you do not know the next stock card, this is speculative. In general, take available removals.
Frequently asked questions
Can a removal span across cards that were added at different times?
Yes. The line is a single continuous sequence, and any run of consecutive adjacent cards in that line can be removed if their values sum to 10, 20, or 30. It does not matter when each card was added to the line.
What happens when cards on either side of a removed gap reconnect?
The gap closes and the cards join directly. The card that was to the left of the removed run is now directly adjacent to the card that was to the right. These newly adjacent cards may immediately form a new valid removal combination.
Is Decade related to Pyramid or Elevens?
All three are number-removal patience games where cards are removed based on their numeric value. Pyramid and Elevens use a grid layout and pair cards summing to 13 or 11 respectively. Decade’s consecutive-run requirement (cards must be adjacent in the line) and its three valid totals (10, 20, 30) make it a distinct challenge. The linear line format is closer to Golf Solitaire’s approach than to the grid-based games.
What is a realistic win rate?
Decade win rates vary significantly by skill level. With careful choice between multiple valid removals, skilled players win roughly 40 to 60 percent of deals. Random removal selection wins much less often because isolated high-odd-value pairs are common and harder to recover from than balanced smaller combinations.