Block

Game Objective:

The primary goal in Block Solitaire is to move all cards from the tableau and stock to the foundation piles, building each foundation up in suit from Ace to King.

Setup & Layout:

• Use a standard 52-card deck.
• Deal two cards face-up to each of the twelve tableau piles.
• Place the remainder of the deck face-down as the stock.
• Define the following play areas:
• Tableau: Twelve piles, each starting with two face-up cards.
• Foundations: Eight piles, initially empty, to be built up by suit from Ace to King.
• Stock: The undealt cards, face-down.
• Any cards dealt to the tableau at the start that can immediately move to the foundations are moved up right away.

Block Solitaire Rules:

• Building on Tableau: Cards are built down in suit (e.g., 7♠ on 8♠), and only one card may be moved at a time.
• Foundations: Built up in suit from Ace to King. Any Ace may be moved to an empty foundation pile at any time.
• Moving Cards: Only the top card of each tableau pile is available for play.
• Spaces in Tableau: When a tableau pile becomes empty, it is immediately filled with a card from the stock.
• Stock: The only way new cards enter play is by filling tableau spaces from the stock.
• No sequence moves: Only single cards may be moved; sequences cannot be transferred.

Gameplay:

• On each turn, examine the tableau and move eligible cards to the foundations or build down in suit on other tableau piles.
• If a tableau pile is emptied, automatically fill it with a card from the stock.
• Continue moving cards and filling tableau spaces until the stock is depleted.
• If a card can be moved to a foundation, do so immediately.
• Play continues until no more legal moves are possible or all cards are moved to the foundations.

Winning & Losing Conditions:

• Win: The game is won when all cards are successfully moved to the foundations, built up in suit from Ace to King.
• Lose: The game is lost if no further legal moves are possible and cards remain in the tableau or stock. The game often "blocks" quickly, making it very difficult to win.

Special Rules & Edge Cases:

• Filling Empty Tableau Spaces: Whenever a tableau pile becomes empty, it must be filled immediately with a card from the stock. If the stock is depleted, empty tableau spaces remain empty and cannot be filled.
• Immediate Foundation Moves: At setup and during play, any card that can be played to the foundations must be moved up right away.
• No Sequence Moves: Only individual cards may be moved; you cannot move groups or sequences of cards.
• Blocking: The game is named for its tendency to quickly reach a state where no moves are possible, often resulting in a blocked tableau.

Note: If you encounter a version called "Block Eleven Solitaire," its rules differ significantly and involve discarding pairs that sum to eleven, not building foundations. The guide above is for the classic Block Solitaire variant as described in official and reputable sources.