Classic Games Club

Elevens

Remove the entire deck through valid pairs and court-card trios.

How to play

Remove the entire deck through valid pairs and court-card trios.

  • Nine cards fill a three-by-three layout and empty positions refill from the stock.
  • Remove two number cards whose values total eleven.
  • Remove a Jack, Queen, and King together; keep clearing refilled slots until no cards remain.

Strategy tips

  • Scan number complements systematically: Ace with Ten, Two with Nine, and so on.
  • Court cards leave only as a complete Jack-Queen-King set.
  • When several moves exist, compare the refill positions because lower slot indexes receive cards first.

Complete guide

Rules, scoring, and strategy

Elevens is a nine-slot addition solitaire. Number cards leave in pairs totaling eleven, while court cards leave only as one Jack, one Queen, and one King; the stock immediately refills cleared positions.

Number pairs total eleven

Aces count one and number cards keep their printed values. The valid complements are Ace-Ten, Two-Nine, Three-Eight, Four-Seven, and Five-Six; court cards do not participate in these pairs.

Court cards require a complete trio

A Jack, Queen, and King must all be visible and selected together. Removing only two court cards is not legal, and their suits have no effect on the trio.

Nine slots refill predictably

After a valid removal, stock cards fill the newly empty slots in their stable position order. Near the end of the stock, some slots may remain empty, so every remaining card becomes easier to inspect.

Clearing the deck is the test

The deal is won only when the stock and all nine slots are empty. If cards remain but no number complement or Jack-Queen-King trio is visible, the layout is stuck.

Questions players ask

Do Jack, Queen, and King have number values?

Not for pair removal. They can leave only as a three-card set containing one of each court rank.

Does suit matter in Elevens?

No. Legal removals depend on rank values and the Jack-Queen-King combination, not suit or color.

How are empty grid spaces refilled?

The stock fills the cleared slot indexes in order until those spaces are full or the stock is exhausted.

Calculation SolitaireRoute a one-pass stock through four waste piles while completing four suit-free foundations that advance by one, two, three, or four ranks.Accordion SolitaireCompress a full line of cards by moving a pile left onto a matching rank or suit one or three positions away.Clock SolitaireFollow a forced chain around thirteen four-card clock piles and expose every card before the fourth King ends the round.MontanaReorder four rows into same-suit Two-to-King sequences by sliding cards into the four Ace gaps.