Choose pairs for the cards they uncover.
Gay Gordons deals ten columns of five cards plus two individually available reserve cards. Only each column top and unremoved reserve card can pair. There is no stock or row deal after setup; clear all 52 cards by choosing an accessible pair at each step.
Last updated: September 2026
Use the right pairing table
Pip pairs total 11: Ace–10, 2–9, 3–8, 4–7, and 5–6. Jacks pair with Jacks. A King pairs with a Queen only when their suits differ. There is no lone-King removal. Check the suits before planning a court-card chain; a same-suit King and Queen cannot leave together.
Compare both revealed cards
When a card leaves a column top, the card underneath becomes available. If a top Ace has a choice of two top 10s, compare the cards under those 10s. A 10 covering a 7 may set up a visible 4–7 pair, while a 10 covering a Queen may be less useful until an off-suit King is accessible. The reserve cards never reveal a card beneath them, so using a reserve partner changes only the other pile.
Keep track of where the two remaining Jacks or the needed off-suit King and Queen lie. Because each move removes two cards, a pair that reveals one required partner can be more valuable than a pair that simply shortens two columns without opening a continuation.
Compare the related column puzzle
Fourteen Out also exposes the next card beneath a removed top. Its pairs all total 14, whereas Gay Gordons has three separate pairing rules and two reserve cards. Use the rule table for the game you are playing before applying the same access-planning idea.