Easthaven

Game Objective:

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

Setup & Layout:

• Deck: Easthaven uses a standard 52-card deck.
• Tableau: Deal seven piles in a single row. Each pile contains three cards: the bottom two cards are placed face-down, and the top card is placed face-up.
• Foundations: Four empty piles, one for each suit, are reserved for building up from Ace to King.
• Stock: The remaining 31 cards after the tableau setup form the stock pile, placed face-down to the side.
• Key Play Areas:
• Tableau: Seven columns where cards are initially dealt and manipulated during play.
• Foundations: Four piles where completed suit sequences are built.
• Stock: The draw pile used to introduce new cards into play.
• Face-Up/Face-Down: Only the top card of each tableau pile is face-up; all other tableau cards are face-down at the start.

Easthaven Solitaire Rules:

• Building Sequences in Tableau:
• Cards in the tableau are built down in sequence by alternating colors (red-black).
• Example: A black 4 can be placed on a red 5.
• Moving Cards:
• You may move a single card or a properly sequenced group of cards (descending order, alternating colors) between tableau piles.
• Only Kings or sequences starting with a King may be moved to empty tableau spaces.
• Foundations:
• Foundations are built up by suit, starting with Ace and ending with King.
• Only the top card of each tableau pile is available for play to the foundations.
• Dealing from Stock:
• When no further moves are possible, deal one card face-up to each tableau pile from the stock.
• Dealing is only allowed if there are no empty tableau piles that could be filled by available Kings.
• The last deal from the stock will only have three cards, which are placed on the first three tableau columns.

Gameplay:

• Sequence of Actions:
• Move cards or sequences within the tableau according to the building rules.
• Transfer available Aces and subsequent cards to the foundations as soon as possible.
• When no moves remain, deal a new row of cards from the stock onto each tableau pile, provided no empty tableau piles could be filled by Kings.
• Flip face-down cards face-up when they become the top card of a tableau pile.
• Introducing New Cards:
• Each deal from the stock adds one face-up card to each tableau pile, increasing the options for movement.
• No More Legal Moves:
• If all cards from the stock have been dealt and no further moves are possible, the game is lost.

Winning & Losing Conditions:

• Winning: The game is won when all cards are successfully moved to the foundation piles, completing each suit from Ace to King.
• Losing: The game is lost (unwinnable) if all stock cards have been dealt and no further legal moves can be made to progress cards to the foundations.

Special Rules & Edge Cases:

• Filling Empty Tableau Spaces:
• Only Kings or sequences headed by a King may be moved to empty tableau piles.
• Empty tableau piles must be filled before dealing from the stock, if possible.
• Dealing Restrictions:
• You may not deal new cards from the stock if there are empty tableau piles that could be filled by available Kings.
• No Redeal:
• There is no redeal; once the stock is exhausted, no further cards can be introduced.
• Sequence Moves:
• Full builds (properly sequenced groups) in the tableau may be moved as a unit onto another tableau pile, provided the move follows descending order and alternating color rules.
• Edge Case (Final Deal):
• If fewer than seven cards remain in the stock, the last deal distributes one card to each of the first tableau piles until the stock is empty (typically three cards to the first three tableau piles).

Definitions:

• Tableau: The main area of play consisting of seven piles where cards are manipulated.
• Foundation: The target piles where cards are built up by suit from Ace to King.
• Stock: The pile of undealt cards used to introduce new cards to the tableau.

This guide provides a precise, step-by-step reference for playing Easthaven Solitaire according to its unique ruleset.