What is Emperor?
Emperor Solitaire is a two-deck Klondike variant — expanded in every dimension. Where Klondike uses one deck and seven columns, Emperor uses two decks and ten columns, builds eight foundations instead of four, and deals three face-down cards beneath each tableau column’s opening face-up card. The result is a substantially longer game with more hidden information and more complex sequencing challenges.
The game shares Klondike’s core mechanics exactly: alternating-color descending tableau sequences, stock drawn one card at a time to a waste pile, and foundations built upward by suit. The doubled scale makes every strategic habit that works in Klondike more important in Emperor.
Full rules
Two standard 52-card decks (104 cards) are used. Ten tableau columns each receive four cards: three face-down and one face-up. All remaining cards form the stock, dealt one at a time to a waste pile; the top waste card is always available.
Tableau sequences build downward in alternating colors. A properly ordered sequence moves as a unit. Only Kings (or King-headed sequences) fill empty columns. Eight foundations (one per suit per deck) build upward from Ace to King by suit. Win by moving all 104 cards to the eight foundations.
The two-deck difference
With two copies of every card, Emperor gives you twice as many chances to find the Ace or Two you need. If the first copy is buried, the second might be in the stock or on a different column top. This makes Emperor more forgiving than Klondike on individual card locations, but the sheer volume of hidden cards — 30 face-down cards at the start, compared to Klondike’s 21 — means the reveal priority is even more critical.
Sequence traps are Emperor’s most distinctive hazard. Building a long alternating- color sequence that buries multiple face-down cards beneath it creates a self-imposed block that takes many moves to resolve. Check whether a sequence covers important face-down cards before committing to a long build.
Read the full Emperor strategy guide →
Key strategic concepts
Reveal priority remains the first principle: always prefer a move that flips a face-down card over a move that only rearranges visible ones. With ten columns and 30 hidden cards, this discipline matters more than in single-deck games.
King management requires attention with eight Kings in two decks. Empty columns fill with Kings, but not every King anchors a productive sequence. When choosing which King to place in an empty column, consider which suit foundations are furthest behind — and which King’s suit will be able to build the deepest sequence from the current card distribution.
Related two-deck games
- Napoleon at St Helena — another two-deck ten-column Klondike relative
- Miss Milligan — two-deck builder with a deal-as-you-go format and the Waive mechanic
- Spider Solitaire — two decks, same-suit completion goal instead of alternating-color foundations
- Crescent Solitaire — two-deck fan layout with bidirectional foundations
Related games and reference