Fifteens

Game Objective:

The primary goal in Fifteens Solitaire is to discard all cards from the deck by forming and removing combinations of cards whose total value equals 15.

Setup & Layout:

• Use a standard 52-card deck.
• Deal 16 cards face-up from the stock to form a 4x4 tableau grid.
• The remaining cards constitute the stock pile.
• Play areas are defined as:
• Tableau: The 4x4 grid of face-up cards.
• Stock: The undealt cards used to refill empty tableau spaces.
• Waste/Discard pile: Where removed cards are placed.

Fifteens Solitaire Rules:

• Card Removal: Discard any combination of two or more cards from the tableau whose ranks sum to exactly 15 (e.g., 9+6, 8+7, 4+5+6, Ace+6+8).
• Face Cards and Tens: Tens, Jacks, Queens, and Kings may only be discarded as a set of four cards of the same rank (i.e., four 10s, four Jacks, four Queens, or four Kings).
• Example: You cannot discard a 10 with a 5, even though the sum is 15.
• Replenishing Tableau: After discarding cards, immediately fill empty tableau spaces with cards drawn from the stock pile.
• No Redeal: Once the stock is exhausted, no further cards are available.

Gameplay:

• Player Actions:
• Identify and select any valid combination(s) of cards on the tableau that sum to 15.
• Remove selected cards and place them in the discard pile.
• Fill any empty tableau spaces with cards from the stock.
• Introducing New Cards:
• Each time cards are removed, refill the tableau spaces from the stock until the stock is depleted.
• No Moves Available:
• If no valid combinations remain and the stock is empty, the game ends.

Winning & Losing Conditions:

• Win Condition: Successfully discard all cards from both the tableau and the stock pile by forming valid combinations that sum to 15.
• Lose Condition: The game is lost if there are remaining cards on the tableau and no possible combinations can be made to sum to 15, with the stock pile exhausted.

Special Rules & Edge Cases:

• Filling Empty Spaces: Every time cards are removed from the tableau, immediately refill the empty spaces from the stock pile. If the stock is empty, spaces remain vacant.
• Restrictions on Tens and Face Cards: Only remove tens, jacks, queens, or kings in sets of four of the same rank. These cannot be combined with other cards to make 15.
• Combination Size: Any number of cards (two or more) may be combined to total exactly 15, except for the special rule regarding tens and face cards.
• No Redeal: Once the stock is depleted, no further cards are available to refill tableau spaces.
• Edge Case: If all four cards of a rank (10, J, Q, K) are not present on the tableau simultaneously, they cannot be removed until this condition is met.

Definitions:

• Tableau: The main play area consisting of the 4x4 grid of face-up cards.
• Stock: The pile of undealt cards used to refill the tableau.
• Discard/Waste pile: Where removed cards are placed.

This guide provides a precise framework for playing Fifteens Solitaire, ensuring clarity and strict adherence to its unique ruleset.