Beehive

Game Objective:

The primary goal in Beehive Solitaire is to discard all cards from the deck by forming sets of four cards of the same rank on the tableau piles, which are then moved to the foundation.

Setup & Layout:

• Use a standard 52-card deck.
• Reserve (Beehive): Deal a stack of 10 cards face-up; this is called the Beehive or reserve pile. Only the top card is available for play.
• Tableau: Deal two rows of three cards each (6 tableau piles total), with one face-up card per pile.
• Stock: Place the remaining cards face-down as the stock pile.
• Discard/Waist Pile: This pile is initially empty. It will be formed during play when cards are dealt from the stock.
• Foundation: There is one foundation area, but cards are not built onto it directly; sets of four matching cards are discarded here automatically.

Key Play Areas:

• Beehive/Reserve: Stack of 10 cards, top card face-up.
• Tableau: 6 piles, each with one face-up card.
• Stock: Face-down pile of remaining cards.
• Discard/Waist: Receives cards dealt from the stock, top card always available for play.
• Foundation: Receives completed sets of four cards of the same rank.

Beehive Solitaire Rules:

• Building Sequences: Tableau piles are built only by placing cards of the same rank onto each other (e.g., placing a 5 on another 5).
• Card Movement:
• The top card of any tableau pile, the Beehive, and the discard pile are available for play.
• Cards can be moved onto a tableau pile only if the top card of the destination pile matches the rank of the card being moved.
• When four cards of the same rank are collected in a tableau pile, the pile is immediately discarded to the foundation.
• Empty Tableau Piles: Must be filled immediately, preferably with the top card from the Beehive. If the Beehive is empty, use the top card of the stock or discard pile.
• Stock and Discard/Waist Pile:
• When no moves are available, deal three cards face-up from the stock to the discard pile.
• The top card of the discard pile is always available for play.
• Unlimited redeals are allowed; when the stock runs out, flip the discard pile over to form a new stock.

Gameplay:

• Typical Turn Sequence:
• Move available cards of matching rank onto tableau piles to form sets of four.
• Discard completed sets of four cards from tableau piles to the foundation.
• Fill empty tableau spaces with the top card of the Beehive, or if empty, from the stock or discard pile.
• When no moves remain, deal three cards from the stock to the discard pile.
• Continue making moves using the top card of the discard pile, Beehive, or tableau piles.
• When the stock is exhausted, flip the discard pile to reform the stock; repeat as needed.

Winning & Losing Conditions:

• Winning: You win when all cards have been discarded to the foundation by forming and removing all possible sets of four matching cards from the tableau piles.
• Losing: You lose if you exhaust the stock (including all permitted redeals) and cannot make any moves, specifically if you flip through the entire stock without playing at least one card.

Special Rules & Edge Cases:

• Filling Empty Tableau Piles: If a tableau pile becomes empty, fill it immediately with the top card of the Beehive. If the Beehive is empty, use the top card of the stock or discard pile.
• Redeal Restrictions: Unlimited redeals are permitted, but you must play at least one card per stock cycle; otherwise, the game is lost.
• Automatic Actions: Sets of four matching cards are automatically discarded to the foundation when completed.
• Card Availability: Only the top card of the Beehive, each tableau pile, and the discard pile are available for play at any time.
• No Suit or Color Restrictions: Building and discarding are based solely on rank, not suit or color.

Definitions:

• Tableau: The main area where cards are built into sets of four matching ranks.
• Beehive/Reserve: The stack of 10 cards, providing additional cards for play.
• Stock: The pile from which cards are dealt to the discard pile.
• Discard/Waist Pile: Receives cards from the stock; only the top card is playable.
• Foundation: The area where completed sets of four matching cards are discarded.

This guide provides a comprehensive, semantically precise overview of the rules and procedures for playing Beehive Solitaire.