How to Play Phoenix Solitaire

Phoenix is a variant of Arizona where the tableau builds in alternating colors and the leftover cards form a reserve pile you play from one card at a time. The goal: Move all 52 cards to the four foundations in suit from Ace through King.

Setup

1. Deal 6 cards to each of 6 tableau piles
2. Deal the remaining 16 cards to a reserve pile (only the top card is playable)
3. Create 4 foundation piles (initially empty, will start with aces)
4. All cards are face-up

How to play

• Build the foundations up by suit from Ace through King
• In the tableau, build down in alternating colors (red on black, black on red)
• Move a sequence together if it builds correctly in alternating colors
• Only the top card of the reserve pile is playable
• Empty tableau spaces accept any card or sequence
• Foundations receive cards automatically when no other play is available (this can be changed in Settings)

How to win

Objective: Move all 52 cards to the four foundations in suit from Ace through King.

You win when all cards reach the foundations. You're stuck when no legal moves remain.

Tips

• Work through the reserve pile steadily—only its top card is playable, so plan ahead before you need what's buried under it
• Alternating colors means you'll be mixing suits in the tableau; plan sequences carefully
• Creating empty spaces early gives you more flexibility for maneuvering

Play Phoenix free on Windows

CardTray is a free solitaire app for Windows that includes Phoenix alongside 300+ other games. It saves every move as you play, so you can close the window and pick the game up later, replay any deal, and take on a new Daily Challenge deal every day. Browse every game in the Game Gallery.

Related games

More games from the Fan family:

• Wildflower — Everything is dealt face up at the start, and a leftover pile of cards sits ready to feed new plays.
• Bear River — This tableau is split into three sections, each with its own small 'hole' pile that acts as a landing spot for any card.
• Flower Garden — A classic game where all the cards are dealt face-up from the start, though only the top card of the Bouquet reserve is ever in play.