Doublets

Game Objective:

The primary goal in Doublets Solitaire is to discard all cards from the tableau by removing pairs of cards of the same rank, regardless of suit.

Setup & Layout:

• Use a standard 52-card deck.
• Tableau: Arrange 12 tableau piles, each with 4 cards. In each pile, only the top card is dealt face-up; the remaining three cards are dealt face-down beneath it.
• There is no stock, reserve, foundation, or waste pile in this variant. All play occurs within the tableau piles.
• At the start, only the top card of each tableau pile is visible and available for play.

Doublets Solitaire Rules:

• Pair Removal: The fundamental mechanic is discarding any pair ("doublet") of cards of the same rank, regardless of suit.
• No Building: Cards cannot be built in sequence or moved between tableau piles. The only permitted action is discarding pairs.
• Exposure of Cards: After a pair is discarded, if a face-down card is exposed at the top of a tableau pile, it is immediately turned face-up and becomes available for pairing.
• Spaces: When a tableau pile is emptied, it is automatically refilled from the reserve if available. In Doublets Solitaire, the reserve consists of the face-down cards in the tableau piles; there is no separate reserve pile.

Gameplay:

• On each turn, scan the tableau for any two face-up cards of the same rank.
• Discard the pair from play.
• Immediately turn face-up any newly exposed card at the top of a tableau pile.
• Continue removing pairs as long as possible.
• If a tableau pile becomes empty, it is automatically filled from the reserve (if any cards remain face-down in the tableau piles).
• There is no redeal; once all cards are face-up and no more pairs can be made, the game ends.

Winning & Losing Conditions:

• Win: The game is won when all cards have been successfully discarded in pairs, leaving the tableau empty.
• Loss: The game is lost or unwinnable if no further pairs can be made and cards remain on the tableau.

Special Rules & Edge Cases:

• Filling Empty Piles: Spaces created by removing all cards from a tableau pile are automatically filled from the reserve (face-down cards within the tableau piles).
• No Redeal: Once all cards are face-up and no pairs can be made, there is no redeal or reshuffling of cards.
• Pairing Restrictions: Only pairs of cards of the same rank may be discarded; suit does not matter.
• No Sequence Movement: There is no movement of sequences or cards between tableau piles; only pair removal is permitted.
• Edge Case: If multiple pairs are available, the player may choose which to discard first; this can affect the outcome due to the order in which cards are revealed.

Definitions:

• Tableau: The main play area consisting of 12 piles, each with 4 cards.
• Pair (Doublet): Two cards of the same rank, regardless of suit.

This guide is based strictly on the official rules for Doublets Solitaire as provided by leading solitaire rule repositories.