Chinese FreeCell

Game Objective:

The primary goal in Chinese FreeCell Solitaire is to move all 78 cards (using three suits: hearts, spades, and diamonds, with two full sets of each ace through king) to the six foundation piles, building each foundation up in ascending order by suit from Ace to King.

Setup & Layout:

• Deck Composition: The game uses 1.5 standard decks, totaling 78 cards. Only three suits are used: hearts, spades, and diamonds. Each suit appears twice, Ace through King.

• Initial Deal:

• Tableau: 11 tableau columns are used. Ten columns are dealt 7 cards each, and the eleventh column is dealt 8 cards. All cards are dealt face-up.

• Foundations: Six foundation piles are placed above the tableau, one for each suit instance.

• Cells (Free Cells): Four free cells are provided above the tableau. Each cell can hold one card at a time.

• Play Area Definitions:

• Tableau: The main area with 11 columns where cards are arranged and manipulated.

• Foundations: Six piles, one for each suit instance, where cards are built up from Ace to King.

• Cells: Four single-card holding spaces used for temporary storage.

Chinese FreeCell Solitaire Rules:

• Card Movement Fundamentals:

• Only the top card of any tableau column or cell is available for play.

• Any card may be moved to an empty cell; each cell holds only one card.

• Cards from cells may be moved back to the tableau or to the foundation.

• Building Sequences:

• Tableau: Build downward by any other suit (not the same suit as the card being placed). For example, a spade may be placed on a heart or diamond, but not another spade.

• Foundations: Build upward by suit, starting with Ace and ending with King (A-2-3-…-K, all the same suit).

• Moving Cards and Groups:

• You may move a single card or a sequence of cards in proper descending order (by alternating suits) from one tableau column to another.

• The maximum number of cards you can move as a group is equal to the number of empty cells plus one. For example, if two cells are empty, you may move up to three cards as a group.

• Empty Spaces:

• Only a King (or a group of cards with a King at the bottom) may be moved to an empty tableau column.

Gameplay:

• Turn Actions:

• Move cards between tableau columns, following the descending, alternating-suit rule.

• Move cards to the free cells to temporarily free up cards for further moves.

• Build up foundations by moving appropriate cards (in suit, starting from Ace) from the tableau or cells.

• Move sequences of cards between tableau columns, limited by the number of empty cells.

• Introducing New Cards:

• All cards are dealt face-up at the start; there is no stock or reserve. No new cards enter play after the initial deal.

• No More Legal Moves:

• If no further legal moves are possible (no cards can be moved to foundations, tableau, or cells), the game ends in a loss or unwinnable state.

Winning & Losing Conditions:

• Winning Condition:

• The game is won when all 78 cards are moved to the six foundation piles, with each foundation built in ascending order by suit from Ace to King.

• Losing/Unwinnable Condition:

• The game is lost or becomes unwinnable if no further legal moves are possible and not all cards have been moved to the foundations.

Special Rules & Edge Cases:

• Filling Empty Tableau Columns:

• Only a King or a properly ordered group of cards with a King at the bottom may be moved to an empty tableau column.

• Free Cell Restrictions:

• Each cell can hold only one card at a time. Only the top card in a cell is available for play.

• Sequence Movement Limitation:

• The number of cards that can be moved as a group is limited to the number of empty cells plus one. If no cells are empty, only single cards may be moved.

• Open Game:

• All cards are visible from the start, making the game primarily skill-based with little to no luck involved.

• No Stock/Reserve:

• There is no stock or reserve pile; all cards are in play from the beginning.

• Suit Limitation:

• Only three suits are used (hearts, spades, diamonds), and each suit appears twice (A-K, A-K), for a total of 78 cards.

If any ambiguity arises due to variant rules in digital implementations, always refer to the specific platform's rule set for clarification.