Ultimate Book of Card Games: The Comprehensive Guide to More Than 350 Games (22 page)

WINNING
Build sixteen foundations in total. Eight foundations ascend from ace to king by suit, skipping every second card (A, 3, 5, 7, 9, J, K), while eight foundations ascend from 2 to queen by suit, also skipping every second card (2, 4, 6, 8, 10, Q).

HOW TO PLAY
The topmost cards in the tableau may be played on any foundation. They also may be built on other tableau piles by suit in descending rank, as long as you also skip every second card (e.g., build 9 of hearts on J of diamonds, 8 of spades on 10 of spades). Groups of cards may be moved within the tableau as long as
the rules for building are followed. Once you’re out of moves, deal a new row of nine tableau cards from the stock.

Empty spaces must be filled with cards from the stock; if the stock is empty, use any card or group of cards from the tableau. There is no redeal in Mount Olympus.

1. DIFFICULTY
   :
   low
   
2. TIME LENGTH
   :
   short
   
3. DECKS
   : 2
   

Here’s another well-known Solitaire game with a unique tableau layout. The odds of winning are 1 in every 5 hands.

HOW TO DEAL
Start with two fifty-two-card decks (104 cards total), and deal thirteen piles in a single row (eight face-up cards per pile); this is your tableau.

WINNING
The goal is to create, within your
tableau
(foundations are not used in Mrs. Mop, nor is a stock), eight sequences of thirteen cards each, organized by suit in descending rank from king to ace. Each time you successfully build a thirteen-card “suited sequence,” you may (and must) remove it from the tableau. The game is won when no cards are left on the tableau.

HOW TO PLAY
Use the topmost tableau cards to build down in rank on other tableau piles—suits do not matter, just descending rank. Of course, in order to win the game, you eventually must build sequences both by suit and in descending rank. Move cards one at a time. You may move sets of cards as long as the set is ordered by both suit and rank. The game ends when all cards are removed from play or until you can no longer move.

1. DIFFICULTY
   :
   low
   
2. TIME LENGTH
   :
   short
   
3. DECKS
   : 2
   

There are no twists, turns, or surprises here. Napoleon’s Square is your no-frills textbook example of two-deck Solitaire. The odds of winning are 1 in every 3 hands.

HOW TO DEAL
Start with two fifty-two-card decks (104 cards total), and deal twelve piles (four cards face up per pile) in a single row. This is your tableau. The remaining cards are your stock.

WINNING
Build eight foundations by suit in ascending rank from ace to king.

HOW TO PLAY
Move aces to the foundations as they become available. The topmost tableau and waste cards always may be played. Build tableau piles by suit in descending rank. You may move cards in sets as long as the set is ordered by both suit and rank.

When all moves are exhausted, deal cards one at a time from the stock. The game ends when all cards are played to the foundations, or until you can no longer move. There is no redeal.

1. DIFFICULTY
   :
   low
   
2. TIME LENGTH
   :
   short
   
3. DECKS
   : 1
   

Nestor is similar to La Croix d’Honneur in that the goal is to remove cards by pairing them. The rules of Nestor are pure and simple, the odds of winning are 1 in every 3 hands.

HOW TO DEAL
Start with a fifty-two-card deck, and deal seven tableau piles in a row, six cards per pile and all face up. Deal the remaining ten cards face up, in a single row below the tableau. This is your reserve.

WINNING
Remove all cards in pairs, two at a time.

HOW TO PLAY
Pair the topmost tableau cards with one another, or with any card from the reserve. Once cards are paired, you may remove them from the game. You may not move cards among tableau piles, nor may you move cards to or from the reserve. There is no redeal.