Midgame Strategy
The middle of the stock is where most winnable deals are lost. Two questions to ask before every move, and seventeen worked positions covering waste cards, duplicates and foundation timing.
The middle of the stock is the pivotal decision point in Josephine Solitaire. By this stage several foundations have started, important cards have gone into the waste and the original tableau has changed shape.
More importantly, if your layout is badly blocked halfway through the stock, there may not be enough cards left to repair it. This is where you decide which cards go to the foundations, which stay in the tableau, and whether an empty pile should be spent. Get it wrong and you bury a card you needed or strip away a support you were relying on.
The two questions to ask in the midgame
Question 1Which card is the priority?
Unless a better multi-move run is available, give priority to the card that is closest to a foundation, blocks an Ace or a low card, or is about to be buried in the waste.
The most urgent card is usually one of these
- A playable waste card
- An available Ace
- A 2 or 3 that can reach a foundation
- A card blocking an Ace or a low card
- The final card in a tableau pile
- A card that can create an empty pile
Move the priority card before turning over another stock card.
Question 2Which move creates the better position?
Judge a move by what is left after it is finished. The strongest move normally creates an empty tableau pile, uncovers a low card, saves the waste card or forms a movable same-suit sequence.
When comparing two moves
- Which card will be uncovered?
- Can that card be played immediately?
- Does the move create an empty pile?
- Does it keep the current waste card available?
- Can the new sequence be moved again?
- Does it remove a support card from the tableau?
- Will all four suits still be playable?
If one move creates several further plays and the other creates none, take the one that improves the whole position.
You turn over a bad waste card
Position 1A Queen with no available King
Example
| Waste | Q♣ |
|---|---|
| Tableau | no available K♣ |
| Club foundations | both below the J♣ |
| Empty piles | none |
Situation. You turn over the Queen of clubs, but there is no King of clubs available and the foundations are nowhere near ready for a Queen.
Analysis. The Queen cannot be played, and no useful tableau move creates a destination for it.
Turn the next stock card. Do not break a strong sequence to chase a card that stays blocked anyway.
Position 2The same Queen, but the King can be uncovered
Example
| Waste | Q♣ |
|---|---|
| Pile A | K♣-4♥ |
| Heart foundation | A♥-2♥-3♥ |
| Empty piles | none |
Situation. The Queen looks blocked, but the King of clubs is sitting under the available 4 of hearts.
Analysis. Move the 4 of hearts to its foundation, and the King becomes available for the Queen.
Do not turn the stock. Make the two moves and save the Queen.
Position 3The waste card is too far from a legal move
Example
| Waste | 10♦ |
|---|---|
| Pile A | J♦-7♠-6♠-5♠ |
| Empty piles | none |
Situation. The Jack of diamonds is buried beneath a three-card spade sequence that has no available destination.
Analysis. The 10 cannot be saved without several uncertain moves, and breaking up useful parts of the tableau to try would leave the whole position worse.
Turn the next stock card. One blocked waste card is not worth damaging the tableau for.
You turn over a good waste card
Position 4The waste card advances a foundation
Example
| Waste | 3♦ |
|---|---|
| Diamond foundation | A♦-2♦ |
| Tableau | all ten piles occupied |
The waste card is the next one the diamond foundation needs. It leaves the waste immediately and advances the suit.
Move the 3 of diamonds to the foundation.
Position 5The waste card starts a series of moves
Example
| Waste | 8♠ |
|---|---|
| Pile A | 9♠ |
| Pile B | 7♠ |
| Pile C | 6♠ |
Situation. The 8 of spades can go onto the 9, and the 7 and 6 can then join the new sequence.
Analysis. The waste card lets three piles be combined into one. If Piles B and C hold only those cards, you finish with two empty piles.
You uncover a duplicate card
Position 6A second Ace starts the other foundation
Example
| Spade foundation one | A♠-2♠-3♠ |
|---|---|
| Spade foundation two | empty |
| Pile A | A♠ |
One spade foundation has already started and the second Ace of spades has become available. It opens the second spade foundation and gives every duplicate spade somewhere to go.
Position 7A duplicate 6 is better as a tableau support
Example
| Heart foundation | A♥-2♥-3♥-4♥-5♥ |
|---|---|
| Pile A | 7♥ |
| Pile B | 5♣-6♥ |
| Pile C | 6♥ |
Move the 6 from Pile B onto the 7 of hearts: that uncovers the 5 of clubs and may empty Pile B. The other 6 goes to the foundation.
Use one duplicate in the tableau and the other on the foundation.
Position 8Choose the duplicate that uncovers the better card
Example
| Pile A | A♣-Q♦ |
|---|---|
| Pile B | K♠-Q♦ |
| Pile C | K♦ |
Moving the Queen from Pile A uncovers the Ace of clubs. Moving the Queen from Pile B uncovers the King of spades, which has no immediate move at all.
Move the Queen from Pile A.
Position 9A duplicate card can block both foundations
Example
| Diamond foundation one | A♦-2♦-3♦-4♦ |
|---|---|
| Diamond foundation two | A♦-2♦ |
| Pile A | 3♦-8♣ |
| Pile B | 5♦ |
Playing the 5 to the first foundation is legal, but the second diamond foundation stays stuck on the 2 until the buried 3 of diamonds is freed.
Look for a way to move the 8 of clubs. Balanced foundations give both copies of a suit somewhere to go.
A foundation-ready 9 against tableau needs
A foundation-ready 9 is not automatically worth more on the foundation.
How to decide about a 9
- If the 8 of the same suit is on the waste, keep the 9 and play the 8 onto it.
- If moving an available 8 onto the 9 empties a pile, keep the 9.
- If no 8 of that suit is available or close, bank the 9.
- If moving the 9 uncovers an Ace, 2 or 3, banking it is usually right.
- If the duplicate 9 is also available, bank one and keep one.
Position 10A foundation-ready 9 supports the waste card
Example
| Club foundation | A♣ through 8♣ |
|---|---|
| Pile A | 9♣ |
| Waste | 8♣ |
The 9 of clubs has a legal foundation move, but the second 8 of clubs is sitting on the waste. Keeping the 9 in the tableau gives that card a destination.
Play the waste 8 onto the tableau 9. Both can go home later.
Position 11Moving the 9 uncovers an Ace
Example
| Heart foundation | A♥ through 8♥ |
|---|---|
| Pile A | A♠-9♥ |
| Spade foundation | empty |
The 9 of hearts is covering the Ace of spades. Banking it frees the Ace, which starts its own foundation and leaves Pile A empty.
Position 12One 9 moves and one 9 remains
Example
| Diamond foundation | A♦ through 8♦ |
|---|---|
| Pile A | 9♦ |
| Pile B | 9♦ |
| Pile C | 8♦ |
Both copies of the 9 of diamonds are available. One goes to the foundation; the other stays as a destination for the second 8.
A foundation-ready 8 against tableau needs
A foundation-ready 8 is generally safe to bank when neither 7 of that suit is available in the tableau or the waste. Not every middle card has to be kept as a support.
Position 13A 7 on the waste justifies keeping the 8
Example
| Spade foundation | A♠ through 7♠ |
|---|---|
| Pile A | 8♠ |
| Waste | 7♠ |
The 8 of spades could be banked, but the second 7 is on the waste and needs it as a destination. Keep the pair available until the second spade foundation is ready for them.
Position 14The same 8, but no supporting card
Example
| Spade foundation | A♠ through 7♠ |
|---|---|
| Pile A | 8♠ |
| Waste | Q♥ |
| Available sevens of spades | none |
No second 7 of spades is available, so keeping the 8 in the tableau creates no additional move.
Move the 8 to the foundation. If Pile A empties, the move is stronger still.
High cards and aggressive midgame play
Position 15A foundation-ready 10 in a tableau sequence
Example
| Diamond foundation | A♦ through 9♦ |
|---|---|
| Pile A | J♦ |
| Pile B | 10♦ |
| Waste | 9♦ |
The 10 of diamonds can be banked, but the second 9 of diamonds is on the waste. Move the 10 onto the Jack instead, then bring the waste 9 onto the 10.
Build the tableau sequence. The cards can go to the foundations later.
Empty-pile transfers and sequence moves
Moving a same-suit sequence instead of banking a card works for three reasons: the sequence may uncover an Ace or a low card, the source pile may become empty, and the sequence may give the current waste card a destination.
Position 16Use an empty-pile transfer when the tableau is tight
Example
| Pile A | A♥-10♣-9♣-8♣ |
|---|---|
| Pile B | J♣ |
| Pile C | Empty |
| Heart foundation | empty |
The club sequence can go straight onto the Jack, but passing it through the empty pile lets you confirm the order and keep your options open if another card has to be cleared first. Once the Jack is available the sequence lands on it and the Ace of hearts is free.
Position 17Moving a sequence to save the waste card
Example
| Waste | 6♣ |
|---|---|
| Pile A | 9♣-8♣-7♣ |
| Pile B | A♦-6♠-5♠ |
| Pile C | 7♠ |
| Diamond foundation | empty |
Both sequence moves are useful. Move the 6-5 of spades onto the 7 of spades first: that uncovers the Ace of diamonds, which goes to its foundation and leaves Pile B empty. Only then bring the 6 of clubs across from the waste onto the 7 of clubs.
Complete both moves before turning another stock card.
Play through a midgame
Deal a game and stop at the halfway point. Answer both questions before you move.
Play Josephine Solitaire