Last Updated: November 2025 | Reading Time: 9 minutes
Yukon and Klondike look almost identical at first glance - both use a single deck, seven columns, and build foundations from Ace to King. But two key differences transform the gameplay completely: (1) Yukon has no stock pile, making all cards visible from the start, and (2) The Yukon Move lets you move any face-up card with all cards on top of it. These changes make Yukon significantly more strategic and challenging than its famous cousin.
⚡ Quick Summary:
Yukon: No stock pile, move any face-up card + everything above it, pure strategy, 10-18 minute games
All 52 cards dealt to tableau (28 face-down, 24 face-up)
28 cards dealt to tableau (21 face-down, 7 face-up)
Stock Pile
None - all cards in play from start
Yes - 24 cards (draw 1 or 3 at a time)
Movement Rule
"The Yukon Move" Move any face-up card + all cards above it
Sequence moves only Can only move properly built sequences
Building Rule
Descending rank, alternating colors (same as Klondike)
Descending rank, alternating colors
All Cards Visible?
Yes (from start, after initial deal)
No (24 cards hidden in stock)
Skill vs Luck
80% Skill, 20% Luck
50% Skill, 50% Luck
Win Rate (Skilled Player)
25-30% (harder than Klondike)
30-40% (Draw-1 mode)
Difficulty
Medium-Hard (more complex)
Easy-Moderate (accessible)
Strategic Depth
High - requires extensive planning
Moderate - tactical decisions
Average Game Time
10-18 minutes (longer)
5-10 minutes (quicker)
Complexity
More complex (52 cards in tableau)
Simpler (28 cards in tableau)
Learning Curve
Moderate (need to master Yukon Move)
Gentle (intuitive rules)
Best For
Strategic players who like Klondike but want more challenge
Beginners, casual players, quick games
🎴 Visual Rule Comparison: The Game-Changing Differences
What Makes Yukon Unique
The Yukon Move: Game-Changing Flexibility
The defining feature of Yukon is the ability to move any face-up card along with all cards stacked on top of it, regardless of whether those cards form a proper sequence. This is radically different from Klondike.
Example: If you have a column with 8♠ (bottom), then K♦, 3♣, and A♥ stacked on top, you can move all four cards (8♠ + K♦ + 3♣ + A♥) together onto a red 9 in another column. In Klondike, this would be impossible.
Strategic Impact:
Access buried cards: You can reach face-down cards much more easily
Reorganize freely: Messy stacks can be split and reformed strategically
Create empty columns: Easier to clear columns for maneuvering space
Complex cascades: Chain together 5-7 moves in sequence
No dead ends: Cards aren't permanently "stuck" like in Klondike
No Stock Pile: Pure Strategic Thinking
All 52 cards are dealt at the start - 28 face-down (in known positions) and 24 face-up. There's no stock pile to draw from, which completely changes the game's nature.
Strategic Impact:
Complete information: You know which cards exist and where hidden cards are located
Plan the entire game: Can think many moves ahead without surprises
Skill-based: 80% skill vs. Klondike's 50% - wins feel earned
No luck element: No hoping for the "right card" from stock
Complex starting position: 52 cards in tableau = more to manage from the start
🧠 Strategy Depth Comparison
Yukon Strategy: Deep Multi-Move Planning
Yukon requires extensive strategic thinking:
Expose face-down cards first: With 28 face-down cards (vs. Klondike's 21), exposing hidden cards is critical
Master the Yukon cascade: Chain 5-7 moves together where each move exposes a new face-down card
Empty columns = power: Creating empty columns is even more important than in Klondike
Foundation timing: Keep cards in tableau longer - you need them for building and accessing buried cards
Think 5-10 moves ahead: All cards are visible, so deep planning is possible and necessary
Work on column 7: The rightmost column has 12 cards (7 face-down + 5 face-up) - must be cleared eventually
Klondike Strategy: Tactical Stock Management
Klondike emphasizes tactical decisions:
Expose tableau cards first: Only 21 face-down cards, but revealing them is top priority
Stock pile timing: Deciding when to draw from stock vs. make tableau moves
Kings and empty columns: Only Kings can fill empty spaces - use strategically
Foundation balance: Move Aces/Twos early, but keep mid-range cards (5-9) in tableau
Think 2-3 moves ahead: Can't plan too far due to hidden stock cards
Accept unwinnable deals: ~70% of deals are impossible - focus on the winnable 30%
📈 Difficulty & Win Rates
Player Level
Yukon Win Rate
Klondike Win Rate
Complete Beginner
5-10% (learning curve)
5-10% (mostly luck)
Casual Player
10-15% (improving)
10-20% (learning patterns)
Intermediate
15-20% (solid strategy)
20-30% (good tactics)
Advanced Player
20-25% (consistent play)
30-35% (optimal strategy)
Expert
25-30% (mastery)
35-40% (still luck-limited)
Difficulty Comparison
Harder - lower win rate but more skill-based
Easier - higher win rate but more luck-based
📊 Key Insight: Yukon has a LOWER win rate than Klondike (25-30% vs 30-40%), making it objectively harder. But Yukon's losses are due to strategic errors, while Klondike's losses are often impossible deals. Yukon players improve dramatically with practice; Klondike players plateau quickly.
Choose based on preference: If you want to feel like you "earned" your wins through skill and planning, choose Yukon. If you prefer quicker games where sometimes you get lucky, choose Klondike. Both are excellent - just for different reasons.
Final Verdict
Our Recommendation:
Yukon and Klondike are close cousins with dramatically different personalities:
Similar foundation: Same deck, same columns, same goal, same building rules
Two key differences: No stock pile + Yukon Move completely transform gameplay
Yukon is Klondike's strategic big brother - harder but more rewarding
Perfect progression: Master Klondike → Graduate to Yukon
Different use cases: Klondike for quick games, Yukon for strategic sessions
The honest truth? If you love Klondike and want "more," Yukon is your game. It's literally Klondike without the stock pile luck, plus the incredible flexibility of the Yukon Move. You'll lose more often initially, but every loss will teach you, and wins will feel earned.
Try both! Play Klondike when you want casual fun, and Yukon when you want to engage your brain. They complement each other perfectly.