Bastion

Game Objective:

The primary goal in Bastion Solitaire is to move all 52 cards from the tableau and reserve cells to the four foundation piles, building each foundation up in suit from Ace to King.

Setup & Layout:

• Deck: Standard 52-card deck (no jokers).
• Tableau: Deal 10 columns (tableau piles) of 5 cards each, all face-up.
• Reserve Cells: Place the remaining 2 cards into 2 reserve cells (also called "free cells" or "storage cells"), each cell holding one card, both face-up.
• Foundations: Four empty foundation piles, one for each suit.
• Play Areas Defined:
• Tableau: The main area with 10 columns of face-up cards.
• Reserve Cells: Two single-card holding spaces above or beside the tableau.
• Foundations: Four piles, typically displayed above or beside the tableau.

Bastion Solitaire Rules:

• Card Movement Principles:

• Only one card may be moved at a time, except in specific cases where a sequence can be moved if there are enough empty spaces or reserve cells to allow the cards to be moved individually.

• Cards in reserve cells can be played to either the tableau or the foundations.

• Only the top card of each tableau column or a card from a reserve cell may be moved.

• Building Sequences:

• On the Tableau: Cards may be built either up or down by one rank, but always in the same suit (e.g., 7♠ on 6♠ or 8♠).

• Sequences can be both ascending and descending within the same suit, allowing for flexible movement.

• On the Foundations: Build up in suit from Ace to King (A♣, 2♣, 3♣, …, K♣).

• Moving Cards:

• Cards may be moved from the tableau or reserve cells to the foundations if they are the next in sequence and suit.

• Cards may be moved between tableau columns if the move follows the up-or-down, in-suit rule.

• Cards may be moved into an empty tableau column from anywhere (tableau, reserve cell, or foundation).

Gameplay:

• Turn Sequence:

• Move any available card (from the top of a tableau pile or a reserve cell) to another tableau pile, a reserve cell (if empty), or to the foundations, provided the move follows the rules for building.

• Only one card may be placed in each reserve cell at any time.

• Continue making legal moves, aiming to uncover and play Aces to the foundations as soon as possible.

• Introducing New Cards:

• No new cards are introduced after the initial deal; all cards are in play from the start.

• The reserve cells act as temporary storage to facilitate movement and access to buried cards.

• No More Moves:

• If you cannot make any legal moves (no cards can be moved to foundations, tableau, or reserve), the game is lost.

• There is no redeal or reshuffling in Bastion Solitaire.

Winning & Losing Conditions:

• Win: The game is won when all 52 cards have been moved to the four foundation piles, each built up in suit from Ace to King.
• Lose: The game is lost if no further legal moves are possible and not all cards have been moved to the foundations. There is no redeal; once stuck, the game is over.

Special Rules & Edge Cases:

• Empty Tableau Columns: Any card may be played into an empty tableau column, regardless of suit or rank.
• Reserve Cells: Each cell may hold only one card at a time. Cards in reserve may be played to the tableau or foundations at any time.
• Sequence Movement: While only one card may be moved at a time, a sequence of cards in suit and in correct order (up or down) can be moved as a group if there are enough empty tableau columns or reserve cells to allow the cards to be moved individually (similar to FreeCell logic).
• Wraparound: There is no wraparound (King does not build on Ace, nor Ace on King) in standard play, despite some informal variants.
• No Redeal: Once all cards are dealt, there is no redeal or additional dealing from a stock.

Definitions:

• Tableau: The main play area with 10 columns of cards.
• Foundation: The target piles where cards are built up in suit from Ace to King.
• Reserve Cell: A single-card holding space used for temporary storage.

This guide provides a complete procedural reference for playing Bastion Solitaire according to standard rules.