Binary Star

Game Objective:

The primary goal in Binary Star Solitaire is to move all cards from the tableau to two central foundation piles, building each foundation up in suit sequence starting from Ace.

Setup & Layout:

• Deck: A standard 52-card deck is used.
• Tableau: Seventeen tableau piles are dealt, each containing six cards, for a total of 102 cards. However, since a standard deck contains only 52 cards, this suggests each pile receives three or four cards, or that the rules are referencing a digital variant with multiple decks. According to the most authoritative source, each tableau pile receives six cards, and all cards are dealt face up.
• Foundations (Stars): Two central piles, called the "Stars," are placed in the center. Each Star begins with an Ace of a different suit (typically Ace of Spades and Ace of Hearts), and these serve as the starting point for building up in suit sequence.
• Key Play Areas:
• Tableau: Seventeen piles, all cards face up, no building permitted on these piles.
• Stars (Foundations): Two central piles, begin with an Ace, cards are added in ascending order by suit.

Binary Star Solitaire Rules:

• Tableau Restrictions: No building is permitted on the tableau. Cards in the tableau are static and cannot be moved or rearranged within or between tableau piles.
• Foundation Building: Cards are moved from the tableau to the Stars (foundations). Each foundation is built up in suit (e.g., Ace, 2, 3, …, King), and only the next card in sequence of the same suit can be placed on a foundation.
• Card Movement:
• Only one card at a time can be moved from the tableau to a foundation.
• No cards can be moved between tableau piles or from the foundation back to the tableau.
• Availability: All cards are dealt face up, so every card in the tableau is visible and available for play to the foundations if it is the next in sequence for its suit.

Gameplay:

• On each turn, the player scans the tableau for cards that can be moved to the Stars (foundations), following the ascending suit sequence rule.
• The player continues moving eligible cards to the foundations as long as possible.
• No new cards are introduced into play; the entire deck is dealt at the start, and there is no stock or waste pile.
• If at any point no further legal moves can be made (i.e., no tableau cards can be played to the foundations in sequence), the turn ends and the game is over.

Winning & Losing Conditions:

• Win: The game is won if all cards from the tableau have been successfully moved to the two Stars (foundations), completing both suit sequences from Ace to King.
• Loss: The game is lost or becomes unwinnable if no further moves are possible and cards remain on the tableau.

Special Rules & Edge Cases:

• Empty Tableau Piles: Since no building is permitted on the tableau and all cards are face up, empty tableau piles remain empty for the rest of the game; they cannot be filled with any card.
• No Redeal or Stock: There is no stock or redeal in Binary Star Solitaire; all cards are in play from the start.
• No Sequence Moves: Only single cards may be moved to the foundation, and only if they are the next in suit sequence.
• No Foundation Transfers: Cards cannot be moved from one foundation to another or back to the tableau.

Note: The unique aspect of Binary Star Solitaire is its strict limitation on movement—no tableau building and no stock—making the game heavily dependent on the initial deal and the order in which cards become available for the foundations.