Chelicera

Game Objective:

The primary goal in Chelicera Solitaire is to group all cards into four sets of 13 cards each, arranged in descending sequence by suit from King down to Ace within the tableau.

Setup & Layout:

• Deck: Uses a standard 52-card deck.
• Tableau: Seven tableau piles are arranged horizontally at the top of the play area.
• Each pile contains a mixture of face-down ("D") and face-up ("U") cards, with the exact initial distribution defined as follows:
  • Four piles each receive cards face-up.
  • The remaining three piles each receive seven cards face-up.
• Stock: Any remaining cards after dealing are placed in the stock pile (if used in the variant; some versions deal all cards directly to the tableau).
• Foundations: There are no separate foundation piles; all building occurs within the tableau.
• Face Orientation: All cards in the tableau are dealt face-up, making every card visible and playable from the start.

Chelicera Solitaire Rules:

• Building Sequences: Cards are built downwards in the tableau by suit only (e.g., 7♣ can be placed on 8♣).
• Movement: Only sequences of cards that are in descending order and of the same suit may be moved together within the tableau.
• Single Card Moves: Individual cards may be moved to another tableau pile if they continue the descending sequence in the same suit.
• Empty Spaces: Any card (or valid sequence) may be moved into an empty tableau pile.
• No Foundations: There are no external foundation piles; all organizing and building is done within the tableau itself.
• Stock Use: If a stock pile is present, cards from the stock are introduced according to the variant’s rules (most commonly, all cards are dealt at the start, so stock is not used).

Gameplay:

• Action Sequence:
• Examine the tableau for possible moves: build sequences down by suit, move valid sequences or single cards to continue descending suit order.
• Move sequences or single cards into empty tableau spaces as needed.
• If all cards are dealt at the start, gameplay consists solely of rearranging cards within the tableau.
• If a stock is present, draw cards from the stock and add them to the tableau according to the variant’s rules.
• Revealing Cards: Since all cards are dealt face-up, there is no need to flip cards during play.
• No More Moves: If no legal moves remain and the tableau cannot be further organized, the game ends.

Winning & Losing Conditions:

• Win Condition: The game is won when all four suits are grouped into complete descending sequences from King to Ace within the tableau piles.
• Lose Condition: The game is lost or unwinnable if no further legal moves can be made and the tableau cannot be fully organized into the required sequences.

Special Rules & Edge Cases:

• Filling Empty Spaces: Any card or valid descending sequence may be moved into an empty tableau pile; there is no restriction on rank or suit for filling spaces.
• Sequence Movement: Only sequences that are strictly descending and of the same suit may be moved together; mixed-suit sequences cannot be moved as a unit.
• No Foundations: Unlike Klondike or other solitaire variants, Chelicera Solitaire does not use external foundation piles; all organization must occur within the tableau.
• No Card Flipping: Since all cards are face-up, there is no mechanic for flipping cards during play.
• No Redeal: Once all moves are exhausted, and if the tableau cannot be completed, the game ends without a redeal option.

Definitions:

• Tableau: The main play area where cards are arranged and manipulated.
• Descending Sequence by Suit: A sequence where each card is one rank lower than the previous and of the same suit (e.g., 9♠, 8♠, 7♠).
• Empty Tableau Pile: A tableau pile with no cards, which can be filled by any card or valid sequence.

This guide is based on the official rules as published by Goodsol and Politaire.