Comparison
Russian Solitaire vs Odessa
| Russian Solitaire | Odessa | |
|---|---|---|
| Decks | One deck | One deck |
| Suits | 4 | 4 |
| Typical length | 20 min | 15 min |
| Difficulty | Expert | Hard |
| How much skill matters | High | High |
| How much the shuffle matters | Low | Medium |
| Family | Yukon family | Yukon family |
| Good for beginners | No | No |
We have not written a verdict for this pairing. The comparison above is drawn from each game's own recorded facts — follow either link for its full rules and strategy.
Russian Solitaire
A stricter Yukon variant where tableau sequences must build by suit instead of alternating color.
The deal is Yukon's: seven piles in a staircase, then four extra face-up cards onto each of the six right-hand piles, and no stock at all. The movement rule is Yukon's too — any face-up card can be lifted with everything piled on top of it, however disordered.
Odessa
Russian Solitaire dealt differently: seven piles of six, half of them face down, built strictly down in suit.
Seven piles of six, dealt three face down under three face up, with two extra face-up cards added to each of the five middle piles. Building is down in suit, as in Russian Solitaire, and groups move regardless of how disordered they are underneath so long as the bottom card of the group fits the destination.
Frequently asked questions
- Which is harder, Russian Solitaire or Odessa?
- Russian Solitaire is generally rated expert difficulty, while Odessa is rated hard — so most players find one noticeably harder than the other.