Eight Off

Game Objective:

The primary goal in Eight Off Solitaire is to move all 52 cards into the four foundation piles, building each pile in ascending order by suit from Ace to King.

Setup & Layout:

• Deck: A standard 52-card deck is used.
• Tableau: Deal 48 cards face-up into eight tableau columns, each containing six cards.
• Cells (Reserves): Place the remaining four cards, face-up, into the first four of eight available cells above the tableau. The other four cells remain empty at the start.
• Foundations: Four foundation piles are positioned to one side (often at the top or right). These start empty and are built up by suit from Ace to King.
• Face Orientation: All cards in tableau columns and cells are dealt face-up; there are no face-down cards in this game.

Key Play Areas:

• Tableau: Eight columns where most gameplay occurs.
• Cells: Eight single-card holding spaces (temporary storage).
• Foundations: Four piles for building each suit from Ace to King.

Eight Off Solitaire Rules:

• Card Movement:
• Only the top card of each tableau column or any card in a cell may be moved.
• Cards may be moved between tableau columns, into cells, or onto the foundations.
• Tableau Building:
• Build tableau columns down in suit (e.g., 7♠ on 8♠).
• Only one card may be moved at a time, unless there are enough empty cells to allow sequential movement (see edge cases below).
• Foundation Building:
• Foundations are built up in suit from Ace to King (e.g., Ace♥, 2♥, 3♥, … King♥).
• Cells:
• Each cell can hold only one card at a time.
• Cards in cells can be moved to either the tableau or the foundations.
• Empty Tableau Spaces:
• Only Kings (or sequences starting with a King) may be placed in empty tableau columns.

Gameplay:

• On each turn, the player may:
• Move the top card from any tableau column to another tableau column, a cell, or a foundation, following the building rules.
• Move a card from a cell to a tableau column or a foundation.
• Move a card from a tableau column to an empty cell (if available).
• No new cards are introduced into play; all cards are available from the initial deal.
• If no legal moves are possible, the game ends in a loss.

Winning & Losing Conditions:

• Winning: The game is won when all cards are successfully moved to the four foundation piles, each completed in ascending order by suit from Ace to King.
• Losing: The game is lost if no further legal moves can be made and not all cards are in the foundations.

Special Rules & Edge Cases:

• Filling Empty Tableau Spaces: Only a King or a sequence starting with a King may be placed in an empty tableau column.
• Moving Sequences: Although only one card may be moved at a time, if there are enough empty cells, you may move a sequence of cards as if you had moved them one by one using the cells as temporary storage.
• Cells as Temporary Storage: Cells are used to temporarily hold cards to facilitate movement but may only hold one card each.
• Rule Variations: Some implementations may allow any card to fill empty tableau spaces, but the standard rule restricts this to Kings only.
• No Redeal: There is no redeal or stock; all cards are in play from the start.

Definitions:

• Tableau: The main play area consisting of eight columns.
• Cells: Eight single-card spaces used for temporary storage.
• Foundations: Four piles built up by suit from Ace to King.

This guide provides the complete mechanics and rules for playing Eight Off Solitaire in accordance with official and widely accepted sources.