Corona

Game Objective:

The primary goal in Corona Solitaire is to move all 104 cards (using two standard 52-card decks) to the eight foundation piles, building each foundation up in ascending order by suit from Ace to King.

Setup & Layout:

• Deck: Two standard 52-card decks (total 104 cards).
• Foundations: Eight empty piles. These are built up by suit from Ace to King.
• Tableau: Twelve columns (piles), each with three cards dealt face up (36 cards total).
• Stock (Talon): The remaining 68 cards are placed face down in a single pile.
• Waste: An empty pile to receive cards drawn from the stock that cannot be played immediately.

Key Play Areas:

• Foundations: Where completed suit sequences are built.
• Tableau: The main play area for maneuvering cards, all face up.
• Stock (Talon): Supplies new cards, dealt one at a time.
• Waste: Holds cards drawn from the stock until they can be played.

Corona Solitaire Rules:

• Foundations:
• Built up by suit, starting with Ace and ending with King (A♠, 2♠, …, K♠).
• Only an Ace can be placed on an empty foundation.
• Tableau:
• Built down by the same suit (e.g., 7♦ on 8♦).
• Only the top card of each tableau pile may be moved.
• Only single cards may be moved at a time; sequences or stacks cannot be moved as a unit.
• Stock (Talon):
• Deals one card at a time to the waste pile.
• Only one pass through the stock is allowed; no redeals.
• Waste:
• The top card is available for play to the tableau or foundations.
• When the waste is empty, it remains empty until cards are dealt from the stock.

Card Movement Principles:

• Cards may be moved from tableau or waste to either the foundations or tableau, following the building rules.
• Only single cards are moved at any time.

Gameplay:

1. Initial Play:

• Examine the tableau for possible moves to the foundations or to build down within the tableau by suit.

1. Making Moves:

• Move Aces to empty foundations as soon as possible.
• Build tableau columns down by suit, moving only the top card of any pile.
• Move cards from the waste to tableau or foundations as permitted.

1. Dealing from Stock:

• When no moves are available, deal one card from the stock to the waste pile.
• Continue playing with the new waste card if possible.

1. Filling Empty Tableau Columns:

• When a tableau pile becomes empty, it is automatically filled with a card from the waste.
• If the waste is empty, the empty tableau is filled from the stock.
• If both are empty, any single card may be moved to the empty tableau.

1. End of Stock:

• Once the stock is exhausted, no further cards can be drawn; play continues with the available tableau and waste cards.

1. No Legal Moves:

• If no moves are possible and the stock is empty, the game ends.

Winning & Losing Conditions:

• Win: The game is won when all 104 cards are moved to the eight foundation piles, each built up by suit from Ace to King.
• Lose/Unwinnable: The game is lost or unwinnable if no further legal moves are possible and not all foundations are complete (i.e., some cards remain in the tableau, waste, or stock).

Special Rules & Edge Cases:

• Filling Empty Tableaus:
• Empty tableau columns are automatically filled:
  • First from the waste pile.
  • If the waste is empty, then from the stock.
  • If both the waste and stock are empty, any single card may be moved to the empty tableau.
• Movement Restrictions:
• Only the top card of a tableau or the waste may be moved at any time.
• No sequences or stacks can be moved together; only single cards.
• Kings cannot be moved within the tableau (they can only be moved to the foundation or to an empty tableau if allowed).
• Stock Limit: Only one pass through the stock is permitted; there are no redeals.
• Inversions: If a lower-ranked card of a suit is buried beneath a higher-ranked card of the same suit in the tableau, it can block progress. Strategic planning is required to avoid unsolvable positions.

Note: All cards in the tableau are dealt face up at the start of the game.