Ultimate Book of Card Games: The Comprehensive Guide to More Than 350 Games (7 page)

Next, deal twelve piles (three cards per pile) around the inner circle. These are your tableau piles, called the “outer circle”:

All other cards are set aside as the reserve.

WINNING
The goal is to transform the inner circle of foundation cards into a replica clock face, with each foundation card reflecting its true posi tion on a clock dial. In this example, you need to build the 8 of spades foundation up to 3 of spades (it’s in the 3:00 position), the 9 of diamonds foundation up to 4 of diamonds (in the 4:00 position), etc., all the way up to a J of spades in the 11:00 position, Q of diamonds in the 12:00, and A of clubs in the 1:00 position.

HOW TO PLAY
The goal is to build the inner circle of cards up by suit, in ascending rank, until the appropriate clock position is displayed. So, to build the 8 of spades foundation to 3 of spades (its clock position), simply build up in suit until 3 of spades is on top (8 of spades-9 of spades-10 of spades-J of spades-Q of spades-K of spades-A of spades-2 of spades-3 of spades).

In the outer circle, use the topmost tableau cards to build in the inner circle
or
to build on another tableau pile around the outer circle. Note that building
on the outer circle is by suit in descending rank. Also note that, in order to build on it, an outer circle pile must contain a minimum of three cards. With fewer than three cards, it may not be built on.

Whenever a pile in the outer circle has fewer than three cards, it is said to have “gaps,” one gap for each card below three. For example, an outer circle pile is said to have one gap if it contains two cards, two gaps if it contains one card, three gaps if the pile is completely empty.

Your reserve cards are used to fill these “gaps” according to specific rules. First you must fill all gaps at the same time. In other words, gaps will develop around the outer circle as you build and play cards. These gaps will continue to build until you decide to fill all gaps at once. Second, when you decide to fill gaps, start with the 12:00 pile and move clockwise. Deal as many cards as required to fill all gaps in a pile before moving to the next pile. Finally, you are not allowed to play or build cards in either the outer or inner circles until all your gaps are filled.

The last rule of Big Ben? It’s an easy one. Deal a card from the reserve on the rare occasion that you cannot build, move, or fill any gaps. If the reserve card itself cannot be played, deal another. The game is over when the reserve pile is exhausted. There is no redeal.

1. DIFFICULTY
   :
   medium
   
2. TIME LENGTH
   :
   medium
   
3. DECKS
   : 1
   

Black Hole is a mathematically perfect game. It theoretically is possible to study the tableau before touching a single card, and map in advance how to build all fifty-one tableau cards onto the single foundation. Of course, if you can pull this off, you’re probably a professional card counter and graduated a long time ago from Solitaire to Poker or Blackjack. The odds of winning Black Hole are about 1 in every 20 hands.

HOW TO DEAL
Start with a fifty-two-card deck, remove A of spades, and place it face up at the center of the tableau. Shuffle and deal the remaining cards in face-up groups of three. You’ll end up with seventeen three-card groups, or
fans
.

WINNING
Your goal is to move all cards onto A of spades, so that you end the game with a single pile of cards.

HOW TO PLAY
Use the top or uncovered card from each of your three-card piles to build up or down on the A of spades, regardless of suit. For example, place any 2 on the A of spades, then any 3, etc. You may also change direction at any time (e.g., A-2-3-4-3-2-3-4-5…). As you play the topmost cards from your three-card piles, the cards beneath become available for play. The game ends when you no longer can build cards. There is no redeal or shuffle.

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

Here’s another fun—and dead easy—Solitaire game with decent odds of winning (about 1 in 5 games).

HOW TO DEAL
Start with a fifty-two-card deck, and remove one ace, 2, 3, and 4. Arrange these four cards in a column with the ace on top, the 4 at bottom. These are your four foundations.

WINNING
The goal is to build four foundation piles—regardless of suit—like so:

A-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-J-Q-K

2-4-6-8-10-Q-A-3-5-7-9-J-K

3-6-9-Q-2-5-8-J-A-4-7-10-K

4-8-Q-3-7-J-2-6-10-A-5-9-K

HOW TO PLAY
Turn up cards from the stock, one at a time, and play any valid cards on your four foundations. And remember: suits do not matter!