Big Apple

Game Objective:

The primary goal in Big Apple Solitaire is to move all 104 cards (from two standard 52-card decks) to the eight foundation piles, building each foundation up by suit in sequential order, using "around-the-corner" building (i.e., Ace follows King).

Setup & Layout:

• Deck: Two standard decks (104 cards total).
• Tableau: Eight tableau piles, each starting with one card dealt face-up.
• Foundations: Eight foundation piles, all initially empty.
• Cells: Three cells, each can hold a single card; all start empty.
• Stock: Remaining cards after the initial tableau setup form the stock pile; the top card is available for play.

Key Play Areas:

• Tableau: The main area for building sequences down by rank, regardless of suit.
• Foundations: The target piles for building up by suit.
• Cells: Temporary storage for single cards.
• Stock: Provides additional cards for play.

Big Apple Solitaire Rules:

• Foundations:

• Any card may start an empty foundation.

• Build up by suit in sequential order.

• Around-the-corner building is allowed (Ace may be placed on King, and vice versa).

• Example: J♦, Q♦, K♦, A♦, 2♦, etc.

• Tableau:

• Build down by rank, regardless of suit.

• Any card may be moved to an empty tableau pile.

• Sequences built down by the same suit can be moved together as a group.

• Example: Q♠ may be placed on any King, regardless of suit.

• Cells:

• Each cell can hold only one card.

• Any card may be moved to an empty cell.

• Only the top card in a cell is available for play.

• Stock:

• Only the top card is available for play.

Gameplay:

• Typical Sequence of Actions:

• Move cards between tableau piles, cells, and foundations according to building rules.

• Move sequences of cards down by rank (same suit) as a group within the tableau.

• Move cards to empty tableau piles or cells as needed.

• Play the top card from the stock pile when no other moves are available.

• Introducing New Cards:

• Cards are introduced into play from the stock pile; only the top card is accessible at any time.

• No More Legal Moves:

• If no legal moves remain and the stock is exhausted, the game ends in a loss.

Winning & Losing Conditions:

• Winning:

• The game is won when all 104 cards are successfully moved to the eight foundation piles, each built up by suit from the chosen base rank and utilizing around-the-corner building.

• Losing/Unwinnable State:

• The game is lost if no further legal moves are possible and cards remain outside the foundations.

Special Rules & Edge Cases:

• Filling Empty Spaces:

• Any card may be moved to an empty tableau pile or cell.

• Unique Rules:

• Around-the-corner building permits Ace to be placed after King in both tableau and foundation piles.

• Sequences built down by the same suit can be moved as a group within the tableau, but mixed-suit sequences must be moved individually.

• Odds of winning are low (approx. 4%), emphasizing both skill and luck.

Definitions:

• Tableau: The main play area where cards are built down by rank.
• Foundation: The target piles where cards are built up by suit.
• Cell: Temporary holding spaces for single cards.
• Stock: The pile of undealt cards, with only the top card accessible.

This guide provides the definitive structure and rules for playing Big Apple Solitaire, as derived from official gameplay documentation.