Chinese Klondike

Game Objective:

The primary goal in Chinese Klondike Solitaire is to move all cards from the tableau and stock to the four foundation piles, building each foundation in ascending order by suit from Ace to King.

Setup & Layout:

• Deck: Use a standard 52-card deck.
• Tableau: Deal 49 cards into seven columns, each column containing seven cards. The number of face-down cards in each column increases from left to right:
  • Column 1: 0 face-down, 7 face-up
  • Column 2: 1 face-down, 6 face-up
  • Column 3: 2 face-down, 5 face-up
  • Column 4: 3 face-down, 4 face-up
  • Column 5: 4 face-down, 3 face-up
  • Column 6: 5 face-down, 2 face-up
  • Column 7: 6 face-down, 1 face-up
• Foundations: Four empty piles, one for each suit, placed separately from the tableau.
• Stock: The remaining 3 cards form the stock pile, placed face-down.
• Waste: Cards that cannot be played are placed in a waste pile.
• Face Orientation: Only the top card of each tableau column is face-up at the start; all other cards in each column are face-down except as specified above.

Chinese Klondike Solitaire Rules:

• Building Foundations: Foundations are built in ascending order by suit, starting with Ace and progressing to King (e.g., Ace, 2, 3, …, King of Hearts).
• Tableau Building: Cards in the tableau are built in descending order by alternating colors (e.g., a red 7 on a black 8). Only the top card of each column is available for play.
• Card Movement:
  • Only the top face-up card of a tableau column can be moved.
  • Cards can be moved between tableau columns if they follow descending order and alternate colors.
  • Cards can be moved to the foundation if they are the next in sequence for the suit.
  • Only Kings (or sequences starting with Kings) can be moved into empty tableau columns.
• Stock Usage: Cards from the stock are drawn one at a time and played to the tableau, foundation, or waste pile. If the drawn card cannot be played, it goes to the waste pile.
• Waste Pile: The top card of the waste pile is available for play onto the tableau or foundation.

Gameplay:

• Turn Sequence:
  • Move available cards from the tableau to the foundations if possible.
  • Move cards within the tableau to build descending sequences of alternating colors.
  • Draw cards from the stock one at a time and attempt to play them to the tableau or foundation.
  • If a drawn card cannot be played, place it on the waste pile.
• Revealing Cards: When the top face-up card is moved from a tableau column, turn the next card in that column face-up.
• Empty Spaces: Only Kings (or sequences starting with Kings) may be placed into empty tableau columns.
• No Legal Moves: If no moves are possible and the stock is exhausted, the game is over.

Winning & Losing Conditions:

• Win Condition: The game is won when all cards have been moved to the four foundation piles, each completed from Ace to King in suit.
• Lose/Unwinnable Condition: The game is lost or unwinnable if no legal moves remain and the stock is depleted, with cards still left in the tableau or waste pile.

Special Rules & Edge Cases:

• Filling Empty Tableau Columns: Only Kings or valid descending sequences starting with a King may be placed in empty tableau columns.
• Stock Exhaustion: When the stock pile is empty, no further cards can be drawn. If moves are still possible within the tableau or waste, play continues; otherwise, the game ends.
• Waste Pile Play: Only the top card of the waste pile is available for play. If it cannot be played, it remains until a legal move arises.
• Sequence Movement: In some variants, entire valid sequences (descending order, alternating colors) may be moved between tableau columns; in strict versions, only single cards are moved.
• No Redeal: There is typically no redeal of the stock or waste piles in Chinese Klondike Solitaire.

Definitions:

• Tableau: The main play area with seven columns where cards are arranged and manipulated.
• Foundation: The target piles for each suit, built from Ace to King.
• Stock: The pile of undealt cards drawn during play.
• Waste: The pile for unplayable drawn cards, with only the top card available for play.

This guide covers the unique ruleset and gameplay mechanics specific to Chinese Klondike Solitaire, ensuring precise understanding for both new and experienced players.