Aunt Mary

Game Objective:

The primary goal in Aunt Mary Solitaire is to move all cards from the tableau and stock to the four foundation piles, building each foundation up by suit from Ace to King.

Setup & Layout:

• Deck: Uses a standard 52-card deck.
• Tableau: Six tableau piles are created. The distribution is as follows:
  • Pile 1: 6 face-up cards.
  • Pile 2: 5 face-up cards, 1 face-down card.
  • Pile 3: 4 face-up cards, 2 face-down cards.
  • Pile 4: 3 face-up cards, 3 face-down cards.
  • Pile 5: 2 face-up cards, 4 face-down cards.
  • Pile 6: 1 face-up card, 5 face-down cards. Note: Some sources state all cards are dealt face-up, but the most authoritative rules specify the above face-up/face-down arrangement.
• Foundations: Four foundation piles, initially empty.
• Stock: The remaining cards form the stock pile, placed face-down.
• Waste: A single waste pile, initially empty, receives cards dealt from the stock.

Aunt Mary Solitaire Rules:

• Foundations:

  • Only an Ace may be moved to an empty foundation.
  • Foundations are built up by suit, from Ace to King (e.g., 2♣ on Ace♣, 3♣ on 2♣).
  • Cards cannot be removed from the foundation once placed.

• Tableau:

  • Build tableau piles down in sequence, alternating colors (e.g., red on black, black on red).
  • Only a King or a group of cards headed by a King may fill an empty tableau space.
  • Sequences of cards built down by alternating color may be moved together as a group.
  • Any face-up card and all cards below it may be moved together, regardless of whether the sequence is complete.

• Stock & Waste:

  • One card at a time is dealt face-up from the stock to the waste.
  • The top card of the waste is available for play to the tableau or foundation.
  • No redeals are permitted; once the stock is exhausted, the game continues with cards in play.

Gameplay:

• Players may move any available face-up card (and all cards below it) from the tableau to another tableau pile, the foundation, or to fill an empty tableau space (if the card is a King or sequence headed by a King).
• If no moves are available on the tableau, the player may deal one card from the stock to the waste.
• Cards from the waste may be played to the tableau or directly to the foundation if eligible.
• Play continues until all cards are moved to the foundations or no further legal moves are possible.

Winning & Losing Conditions:

• Win: The game is won when all cards are correctly built up by suit from Ace to King in the four foundation piles.
• Loss: The game is lost if no legal moves remain and the stock is exhausted, leaving cards unplayed in the tableau or waste.

Special Rules & Edge Cases:

• Filling Empty Tableau Spaces: Only Kings or sequences headed by a King may fill empty tableau spaces.
• Moving Groups: Any sequence of face-up cards in the tableau may be moved as a unit, even if not in perfect descending order, provided the move follows the alternating color rule.
• Stock Limitation: No redeals are allowed; the stock is passed through only once.
• Waste Play: Only the top card of the waste is available for play.
• Foundation Restriction: Once a card is placed in a foundation, it cannot be removed.

Definitions:

• Tableau: The primary play area where cards are arranged in columns and manipulated according to the rules.
• Foundation: The target piles where cards are built up by suit from Ace to King.
• Stock: The pile of undealt cards, from which cards are drawn one at a time.
• Waste: The pile that receives cards drawn from the stock, with only the top card accessible for play.

This guide provides a comprehensive and precise ruleset for Aunt Mary Solitaire, ensuring accurate gameplay and clear understanding of all mechanics.