SOLITAIRE ROYALE ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Basic Definitions and Play-Action ------------------------------------ All of the solitaire games in Solitaire Royale have two basic goals in common: * Move all cards to the foundation; or * Remove the cards from the screen completely. With these goals in mind, the following terms are used in each game: * The "foundation" is the pile (or piles) where cards are laid in a specific order during the course of a game. Some games will not have a foundation, as the objective may be to completely remove the cards from the screen. The foundation receives cards from the tableau, holding pile, stock, and waste pile. * The "tableau" is the general layout of cards upon which other cards are played prior to moving them to either the foundation or the waste pile. Cards placed on the tableau after the opening layout may come from either the holding pile, stock, or waste pile. * The "stock" is the remainder from a standard deck of 52 playing cards which are not yet displayed on the screen. The player turns (exposes) cards from the stock, either 1 or 3 cards at a time, as the game is being played. * The "waste pile" is made up of cards turned from the stock that cannot be played as yet to the tableau or foundation. As each top card is played, the one below it becomes available. Some games allow for the waste pile to be turned over and restarted after the last stock card has been "turned" to it. * The "holding pile" consists of cards that are placed face down on the screen, to be turned up 1 at a time for play on the tableau or foundation according to the rules of the specific game. As each top card is played, the card below it becomes available for play. * The "score" is the number of cards that have either been removed from the screen, or moved to the foundation after all possible plays have been made. The highest score wins in any solitaire royale game, and 52 is the highest possible score per game. Use the mouse to point at the card or column you want to select. Click the left mouse button to highlight the card to be played. To activate the menu, click the right mouse button. If "Drag Cards" is checked in the settings menu, move the cards by dragging them from one pile to another. If the move is not valid, the card you're dragging will slip back to its original spot. If you let go of a dragged card when its touching more than one pile, Solitaire Royale has no way of knowing which pile you are playing to, and will count the move as invalid. (It could check the piles to see which was valid or which made the best move, but that would be hinting!). It's ok if the card is touching the pile it came from and one other pile. The cards in golf, the children's games, and certain piles in other games are turned in place or removed, rather than dragged. Manipulate these cards by clicking them as usual. Solitaire Royale consists of eight different card games plus two tournament options for adults and three card games for children. The adult games are: 1. Pyramid 2. Golf. 3. Klondike 4. Canfield 5. Corners 6. Calculation 7. Three shuffles and a draw 8. Reno 9. Tour (Aunt Anne's game) 10. Tournament The children games are: 1. Concentration 2. Pairs 3. The Wish 1. PYRAMID ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The objective of Pyramid is to clear the screen of all cards (tableau, stock and waste pile). Twenty-eight cards have been dealt into a pyramid-shaped tableau, where the rows of 1 to 7 cards are overlapping. Only the fully exposed cards are available to be played (with one exception, noted below). The cards are removed from the screen in pairs that total 13 points each, with the card "point value" equal to its face value. Since the king has a value of 13, it is the only card that is removed by itself. The queen (12) is removed with the ace (1), the jack (11) with the 2, the 10 with the 3, the 9 with the 4, the 8 with the 5, and the 6 with the 7. Removal of cards is done without regard to suit or color. Cards are removed by first selecting one "available" card (it will light up) and then selecting its "available" pair. If the two cards selected total 13 points they will disappear from the screen. An exception to the "available card" rule on the tableau is if a card is covered only by its pair, then both cards can be removed by selecting the fully exposed card first. Begin play by removing all of the pairs (or kings) that can be played from the tableau. Then, turn the cards from the stock one at a time, pairing the stock card with either an available card from the tableau, or the top card of the waste pile. (The top cards from the stock, the waste pile, and available cards from the tableau, are all playable). If the stock card cannot be played it is placed on the waste pile. The game is over when no more "pairs" can be removed. To "win" you must remove all cards from the screen (stock, waste pile and tableau). 2. GOLF ~~~~~~~~~~~ The objective of Golf is to move all of the cards to the foundation (one pile, in this case). The tableau has been dealt thirty-five cards (7 across and 5 down, overlapping). Only fully exposed cards in the tableau and the top card of the stock are available to play on the foundation. Cards are moved from the tableau in either ascending or descending order (regardless of suit) according to the top card on the foundation. Aces are considered "low" and Kings are "high" cards. (Therefore, once an Ace is played to the foundation, only a 2 and not a King can be played on it). Play begins from the top card of the foundation. For example, if the top card of the foundation is a 4, then a 5 or a 3 can be played from tableau to the foundation. (Merely selecting a can will move it to the foundation). If a 5 is moved to the foundation, then a 4 or a 6 may be played from the tableau. Play continues in this way until none of the fully exposed cards can be played. At this point, the top card from the stock is played to the foundation, and play from the tableau is resumed. Whenever a king is played, tableau play stops and the next card must be selected from the stock before play can be resumed from the tableau. The game is over when there are no more cards in the stock and none can be removed from the tableau. To "win" you must remove all cards from the tableau. 3. KLONDIKE ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The objective of Klondike is to move all of the cards to the foundation. Twenty-eight cards are dealt into a tableau of 7 columns, with the first column on the left containing 1 card, the second column 2 cards, and continuing to the 7th column which contains 7 cards. When the game begins, all cards in the tableau are face down except for the "fully exposed" top card in each column which is face up. Only fully exposed cards in the tableau are "available" to be played on. The stock is "turned" 3 cards at a time onto a waste pile. Merely selecting the stock pile will "turn" the cards. If the top card of the waste pile can be played on either the tableau or the foundation, the next waste pile card becomes available for play, and so forth. When the entire stock has been turned onto the waste pile, it is available to be turned again by selecting the dotted-line area where the stock would normally be located. This process can be repeated until no available cards from the stock and waste pile can be played. Cards are played on each other in the tableau in order (K,Q,J,10,9,etc.) alternating red (hearts or diamonds) and black (clubs or spades). As long as this pattern is maintained in each column, cards can be played on the tableau from the top card of the waste pile, or by "available" cards from the other columns in the tableau. Cards are available in the tableau to play on other columns if they are the first face-up card in the column. If this card has other cards played on it already, all cards move as a unit to the new location. Kings can also be played to vacant columns emptied by the movement of cards to the foundation or to other columns. The foundation is built up from the ace in ascending order (according to suit) in the spaces available above the tableau. Cards may be played to the foundation from the tableau or the waste pile. The game ends when no more plays are possible from the tableau or the waste pile. To "win" you must move all cards from the tableau and waste pile to the foundation, building each suit in order from Ace to King, one card at a time. 4. CANFIELD ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The objective of Canfield is to move all of the cards to the foundation. The cards are dealt into a tableau of 4 columns, with each column containing 1 card. When the game begins, all 4 cards in the tableau are face up and there is a holding pile to the left of and slightly below the tableau. The holding pile contains 13 cards with the top card face up and available. The stock is "turned" 3 cards at a time onto the waste pile. If the top card of the waste pile can be played on either the tableau or the foundation, the next card becomes available to be played, etc. When the entire stock has been turned onto the waste pile, it is available to be turned again by selecting the dotted-line area where the stock would normally be located. Cards are played onto the tableau in descending order (K,Q,J,10,9,etc.) while alternating red (hearts or diamonds) and black (clubs or spades). As long as this pattern is maintained in each column, play can be made to the tableau from the waste pile and holding pile, or from "available" cards in other columns of the tableau. The cards in the holding pile can also be played to empty columns in the tableau. When the holding pile is depleted, any "available" King from the waste pile can be used to fill an empty column. A card is "available" in the tableau to be played on other columns if it is the topmost card in its respective column. If this card has others played on it already, all cards move as a unit to the new location. The foundation is built up from the Ace in ascending order, according to suit, in the spaces available above the tableau. Cards may be played to the foundation from the waste pile, tableau, or holding pile. The game ends when no more plays are possible from the tableau, waste pile, or holding pile. To "win" you must move all cards from these locations to the foundation, building each suit in order from Ace to King, one card at a time. 5. CORNERS ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The objective of Corners is to move all the cards to the foundation. The cards have been dealt into a tableau of 5 cards in the pattern of a "cross" or a box with the "corners" missing. Also, the first card of the foundation has been dealt onto the top left "corner" of the box. The foundation piles are the four corners of the box. Each initial foundation pile card played into the remaining coners must have the same face value as the original foundation card dealt onto the top left corner. When completed each foundation pile will contain all 13 cards of a suit. The stock is "turned" 1 card at a time onto the waste pile, from which the top card is available to be played on the tableau or the foundation. In corners, the waste pile cannot be turned over and replayed as stock a second time. The only way to play from the waste pile is with the current topmost card. When the entire stock has been turned once and no more cards can be played (from either the waste pile or tableau), the game is over. Cards are played onto the tableau (cross) in descending order regardless of suit. As long as this pattern is maintained in each stack, cards can be played onto the tableau from the top card of the stock, "available" cards from tableau stacks, or the top card of the waste pile. Cards are available in the tableau to be played on other tableau stacks if they are the topmost card in a stack. Other playable cards are moved to tableau stacks or foundation piles. The foundation is built up (from the first card dealt to the foundation) in ascending order and according to suit. Cards may be played to the foundation from the tableau, stock, or top card of the waste pile. Note: Aces and Kings are neither high nor low, but merely part of a cycle whose direction depends on whether play is on the tableau or the foundation. The game ends when no more plays are possible fron the tableau, and/or the stock and waste pile are exhausted. To "win" you must move all cards from the tableau, stock and waste pile to the foundation, building up each suit in order from the originally dealt foundation cards, one card at a time. 6. CALCULATION ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The objective of Calculation is to move all of the cards to the foundation. The game begins with a tableau of 4 potential columns, with each column containing no cards at the outset. The foundation has been dealt with 1 starting card for each of the 4 piles. The foundation piles are built up (regardless of suit) by 1's in the first pile (Ace,2,3,etc.), 2's in the second pile (2,4,6,etc.), 3's in the third pile (3,6,9,Queen,etc.), and 4's in the fourth pile (4,8,Queen,etc.). The name of this game comes from the necessity of "calculating" which card to play next on each of the piles. Build up the foundation piles as follows: 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 The stock is "turned" 1 card at a time onto the screen, and then played either onto the foundation or in any of the four tableau columns (where the cards are "held" until they can be played to the foundation). Once a card has been placed in one of the tableau columns, that card can only be moved to a foundation pile, and only the fully exposed card in each column is "available" to be played. The game ends when no more plays are possible from the tableau and the stock is exhausted. To "win" you must move all cards from the tableau and stock to the foundation, building each pile according to the "calculation" rules stated above. 7. THREE SHUFFLES AND A DRAW ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The objective of Three Shuffles and a Draw is to move all of the cards to the foundation. The cards have been dealt into a tableau of 16 stacks of 3 cards each. When the game begins all 48 cards in the tableau are face up, and the aces are in place as the beginning of each foundation pile. Cards are played from stacks in the tableau to other stacks there, in descending order and according to suit. To reach your objective, you need to "free up" cards so they are playable onto the foundation row (in ascending order and according to suit). Only the topmost available card in any tableau stack can be played on other stacks or the foundation piles. There is a option to "reshuffle" the cards in the tableau twice after the original layout is dealt, to be taken when no additional cards can be played to the foundation. The foundation cards remain on the screen during the reshuffles. In addition, the player gets 1 "draw" to pick an "unavailable" card from behind another (or group of cards) that is blocking it in a tableau stack. It is usually good strategy to wait until after the final shuffle to take the draw. The game is over when all shuffles and the draw have been taken and there are no further plays available. The "win" comes when all cards are moved to the foundation. 8. RENO ~~~~~~~~~ The objective of Reno is to move all of the cards to the foundation. The cards are dealt into a tableau of 4 columns, with each column containing 1 card. When the game begins, all 4 cards in the tableau are face up and there is a holding pile to the left of and slightly below the tableau (similar to canfield). The holding pile contains 13 cards, with the top card face up and available. The stock is "turned" 1 card at a time onto the screen, This card can be played on the tableau, foundation, or laid onto its adjacent waste pile. After playing the turned card in any manner, the next card becomes available to be played, etc. Unlike canfield, however, the waste pile cards cannot be turned a second time. The only way to play from the waste pile is with the current topmost card. When the entire stock has been turned and no more cards can be played from the waste pile, tableau, or holding pile, the game is over. Cards are played onto the tableau in descending order (K,Q,J,10,9,etc.), while alternating red (hearts or diamonds) and black (club or spades). As long as this pattern is maintained in each column, cards can be played onto tableau stock, waste pile, holding pile, or "available" cards in other columns of the tableau. The cards in the holding pile can also be played to empty columns in the tableau. When the holding pile is depleted, any "available" king from the stock or waste pile can be used to fill an empty column. A card is "available" in the tableau to be played on other columns if it is the topmost card in its respective column. If this card has other cards played upon it, all cards move as a unit to the new location. The foundation is built up from the Ace in ascending order (according to suit) in the spaces available above the tableau. Cards may be played to the foundation from the stock, waste pile, tableau, or holding pile. The game ends when no more plays are possible from the stock, waste pile, tableau, or holding pile. To "win" you must move all cards to the foundation building each suit in order from Ace to King, one card at a time. This game is scored as a "betting" format. The deck "costs" $52 and the player is "paid" $5 for each card moved to the foundation. When 11 cards have been moved to the foundation the player has $55 and has "recovered" the cost of the game. The most that can be won is $260, when all cards have been moved to the foundation. 9. TOUR ~~~~~~~~~~ The objective of the Tour is to play all eight of the "adult" solitaire games consecutively and accumulate the highest possible score. There is a separate scoreboard for each tour that keeps track of each game played therein and the total for that specific tour, as well as a "high scores" board that records the top 5 scores to disk. In addition, tour is included as part of the tournament menu, making it possible for more than one person to play the same tour, and have the top 5 scores for that specific tour saved to disk as well. To begin a tour, bring up the menu bar and select tour (Aunt Anne's game) from the start a new game menu. The games are played in the order that they appear on the menu: pyramid, golf, klondike, canfield, corners, calculation, three shuffles and a draw, and reno. Play the pyramid game, and when the game has been completed, go to the menu bar and select continue to next game from the tour menu. A tour scoreboard will appear, showing the score for pyramid. Selcting the ok gadget with the left mouse button will cause the next game to appear, in this instance golf. Continue in this manner until the tour is completed. Before each game begins, the tour scoreboard will reappear, showing the scores for all the games completed to that point. 10. TOURNAMENT PLAY ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Tournament play is an option whereby any number of players can compete with the same "shuffle". You can choose any or all of the games listed in the tour. In this manner, players can challenge each other to see who can score the highest on any of the games. You have the option of going to a new "shuffle" by either selecting another tournament game or leaving the tournament menu entirely by selecting end tournament play. You can then select tournament play again from the start a new game menu. THE CHILDRENS GAMES: ---------------------- 1. CONCENTRATION ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The objective of Concentration is to "match" cards of the same face value. After the game is selected, a choice can be made between one-player and two-player (competitive) operation. At the start of the game, twenty-four cards are face down on the screen. Select any card and it will turn face up. Then select a second card to try and make a match. If the two cards match, both will disappear from the screen. (Cards are matched according to number, or "face value"; in other words, 3 of Hearts to 3 of Spades, Jack to Jack, etc.). If there is no match, both cards will turn face down again, and the process is repeated until all cards have been paired and removed. It's important to remember what cards you have seen and their position for future matching, thus the name "concentration". In one-player mode, you can keep track of the total number of "moves" on the left side of the screen. Any time a card is turned face up counts as a move. When playing alone, your goal is to match all the pairs in the fewest amount of moves. In two-player mode, points are tallied on the left side of the screen for each player. Every time a player removes a pair of cards, that player scores 2 points. When a card other than a matching pair is selected, that player loses his or her turn. The objective in the two-player game is to match the most pairs. 2. PAIRS ~~~~~~~~~~~ This is a simple pairs matching game, where you match sixteen pairs of cards according to "face value". Thirty-two cards are used, with 16 cards in a holding pile in the center of the screen. Turn a card over from the holding pile by selecting the pile itself. Start play by matching this available card with one from the tableau. (Cards are matched according to number, or "face value"). As you match the two cards, they will disappear from the screen. When a card has been removed from the tableau, it is automatically replaced by the top card of the holding pile. Continue play by selecting the holding pile again to turn the top card face up, and make it available to play. Until the holding pile has been eliminated, pairs selected must include the face up card on the holding pile and one card from the tableau. After the holding pile is gone, any two "like" cards can be matched from the tableau. There is an exception to this rule: For one time, and one time only, if no match is available using the holding pile, two cards from the tableau can be matched. After this one time, cards from the tableau cannot be matched together until the holding pile is gone. Play continues until all the cards are gone or no more matches can be made. 3. THE WISH ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Legend has it that this game was first used by lovers to discover if they were being loved in return (much like the use of a daisy, "She loves me... she loves me not...). This game was played with a lover in mind..., and if won, love was returned. It has evolved into a children's game where it is said that a wish made will come true to the winner. In the wish, the player must match "like" cards. Thirty-two cards are dealt in 8 piles of 4 cards each, with the cards face up in each of the piles. As cards are matched, they will be removed from the screen and the next card will turn face up. Play continues until all of the cards are gone, or no more matches can be made. Since there are four cards of each type, both luck and skill are involved in winning the game and getting "the wish". If you can match all the cards, the game is won and you can make another "wish".