Beehive (Gallery Mode)

Game Objective:

The primary goal in Beehive (Gallery Mode) Solitaire is to organize all 52 cards into sets of four cards of the same rank and move these completed quartets to the foundation area, thereby clearing the tableau and reserve piles.

Setup & Layout:

• Deck Used: Standard 52-card deck.
• Beehive (Reserve Pile): Stack ten cards face up; this is called the beehive or reserve pile. Only the top card is accessible for play.
• Tableau: Lay out six tableau piles, each with one card face up, arranged in two rows of three cards each. Each pile can hold up to four cards of the same rank.
• Stock Pile: The remaining cards form the stock, placed face down.
• Waste/Discard Pile: Cards drawn from the stock are placed face up in the waste pile; only the top card is available for play.
• Foundation: When a set of four cards of the same rank is assembled in the tableau, it is immediately moved to the foundation (discarded from play).

Key Play Areas:

• Tableau: Six piles for building quartets.
• Beehive/Reserve: Ten-card stack, top card accessible.
• Stock: Draw pile for additional cards.
• Waste/Discard: Receives cards drawn from the stock.
• Foundation: Collects completed quartets.

Beehive (Gallery Mode) Solitaire Rules:

• Building Sequences: Only cards of the same rank may be stacked together in the tableau. For example, a 7 may only be placed on another 7.
• Card Movement:
  • Move the top card of any tableau pile onto another tableau pile if it matches the rank and the destination pile has fewer than four cards.
  • Move the top card from the beehive (reserve) to any tableau pile of matching rank.
  • Move the top card from the waste pile to any tableau pile of matching rank.
• Completing Quartets: When four cards of the same rank are assembled on a tableau pile, immediately move them to the foundation.
• Filling Empty Spaces: Whenever a tableau pile becomes empty, fill it with the top card from the beehive. If the beehive is depleted, fill empty tableau spaces with the top card from the waste pile.
• Stock & Waste Usage: Draw three cards at a time from the stock to the waste pile. Only the top card of the waste pile is playable.
• Redeals: Unlimited redeals are allowed; when the stock is exhausted, turn the waste pile over to form a new stock.

Gameplay:

1. Initial Moves:
   • Search the tableau for cards of matching rank and stack them together, up to four per pile.
   • Fill any empty tableau spaces with the top card from the beehive.
2. Using the Beehive:
   • Move the top card from the beehive to the tableau if it matches the rank of a tableau pile.
3. Drawing from Stock:
   • When no further moves are possible, draw three cards from the stock to the waste pile.
   • Play the top card of the waste pile onto the tableau if possible.
   • Repeat drawing and playing until all possible moves are exhausted.
4. Redealing:
   • When the stock is depleted, turn the waste pile over to form a new stock. Repeat as needed.
5. Removing Quartets:
   • As soon as a quartet is formed, move it to the foundation and immediately fill the empty tableau space.
6. Endgame:
   • When the beehive is empty, fill empty tableau spaces with the top card from the waste pile.

Winning & Losing Conditions:

• Win Condition: The game is won when all cards have been grouped into quartets and moved to the foundation, leaving the tableau and reserve empty.
• Lose Condition: The game is lost if no legal moves remain and all cards in the beehive, stock, and waste have been exhausted without forming all quartets.

Special Rules & Edge Cases:

• Filling Empty Tableau Spaces: Always refill empty tableau spaces immediately—first from the beehive, then from the waste pile once the beehive is depleted.
• Maximum Pile Size: No tableau pile may contain more than four cards, and only cards of the same rank may be stacked together.
• Card Access: Only the top card of each tableau, the top card of the beehive, and the top card of the waste pile are playable at any time.
• Unlimited Redeals: You may redeal the stock as many times as needed by turning over the waste pile.
• No Rearrangement: Once cards are placed in the tableau or beehive, they cannot be shuffled or rearranged except by legal moves.
• Gallery Mode Specifics: In Gallery Mode, the interface may display all stock cards spread out, allowing selection of playable cards more easily, but the core rules for card movement and building remain unchanged.

Definitions:

• Quartet: A set of four cards of the same rank.
• Tableau: The main play area consisting of six piles.
• Beehive/Reserve: The stack of ten cards used to refill tableau spaces.
• Stock: The draw pile for additional cards.
• Waste/Discard: The pile where drawn cards are placed; only the top card is playable.
• Foundation: Area where completed quartets are moved.

This guide provides a precise, step-by-step framework for playing Beehive (Gallery Mode) Solitaire according to its unique ruleset.