Ultimate Book of Card Games: The Comprehensive Guide to More Than 350 Games (13 page)

Build your tableau piles by suit, either in ascending or descending rank (it’s up to you, both are allowed). The only restriction is that cards may be moved only one at a time, not in groups or sets. When a tableau slot is vacant, fill it with the top card from any other tableau pile.

1. DIFFICULTY
   :
   high
   
2. TIME LENGTH
   :
   long
   
3. DECKS
   : 2
   

This is a difficult two-deck game, requiring both patience (a single hand may last twenty to thirty minutes) and stamina (your odds of winning are less than 1 in 15 games). If you don’t enjoy a serious challenge, don’t play this game!

HOW TO DEAL
Start with two fifty-two-card decks (104 cards total), and deal ten tableau piles with four cards per pile, all face up and visible. The remaining sixty-four cards are your stock.

WINNING
Build eight foundation piles by suit, in ascending rank from ace to king.

HOW TO PLAY
The topmost tableau cards may always be played, either to the foundations or to another tableau pile (within the tableau, build by suit in descending rank; you may move cards in a group as long as you follow these building rules). Move aces up to the foundations as they become available.

As needed, turn over the topmost stock card and play it to either the foun dations or tableau, otherwise to the waste pile. The topmost waste card in the waste pile may always be played. You may not redeal in Forty Thieves, so don’t rush to play your stock cards.

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

Whether it’s a change of season or a change of your foundation starter cards, it’s good to mix things up. Each hand in this game delivers a new foundation card, which keeps Four Seasons interesting. The odds of winning are a daunting 1 in every 15 games.

HOW TO DEAL
Start with a fifty-two-card deck, and deal one face-up card to the upper-left foundation pile and five cards (also face up) to the tableau piles, as shown. The remaining cards are your stock. The remaining three foun dation piles start the game empty.

WINNING
Build four foundation piles by suit, in ascending rank, so that each pile ends with thirteen cards total. This game allows
continuous ranking
.

HOW TO PLAY
The first card dealt to the upper-left foundation deter mines the starting rank for the three other foundation piles. In the example above, all foundations must start with 4 because 4 of spades was dealt to the upper- left foundation.

The top tableau cards may be played to the foundations or another tableau pile. Build tableau piles in descending rank (suit and color do not matter, just rank). Fill empty tableau spaces with any available card.

Turn up a stock card at any time, and play it either to the foundations or tableau, or to the waste pile. The topmost card in the waste pile may always be played. There is no redeal in Four Seasons.

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

Gate is very easy to win, so try to squeeze more excitement from it. Try to win every game you play, or three games in a row—or maybe play with one eye closed and one hand tied behind your back. With just a little luck, you really should win every hand.

HOW TO DEAL
Start with a fifty-two-card deck, and deal eight cards, face up. This is your tableau. Next, deal two piles of five cards each, all face up. These are your reserve piles. Set aside the remaining thirty-four cards as your stock.

WINNING
Build four foundation piles by suit, in ascending rank from ace to king.

HOW TO PLAY
The topmost tableau and reserve cards may always be played, either to the foundations or another tableau pile. You may not play cards between or onto reserve piles.