Fortress

Game Objective:

The primary goal in Fortress Solitaire is to move all 52 cards from the tableau to the four foundation piles, building each foundation up in suit from Ace to King.

Setup & Layout:

• Deck: A standard 52-card deck is used.
• Dealing: Shuffle the deck and lay out all cards face up into ten tableau piles:
  • The first two tableau piles (usually on the far left) each receive six cards.
  • The remaining eight tableau piles each receive five cards.
• Tableau Arrangement: The tableau is typically arranged in two columns or "wings" of five piles each, with a space in the center for the four foundations.
• Foundations: Four empty foundation piles are placed in the center between the two wings.
• Card Orientation: All cards in the tableau are dealt face up and are fully visible from the start.

Key Play Areas:

• Tableau: The ten piles where cards are initially dealt and manipulated.
• Foundations: Four central piles to be built up in suit from Ace to King.

Fortress Solitaire Rules:

• Available Cards: Only the outermost card of each wing (leftmost card of the left wing, rightmost card of the right wing) is available for play at any time. In most modern digital implementations, the top card of each tableau pile is available for play.
• Foundation Building: Foundations are built up in suit, starting with the Ace and ending with the King.
• Tableau Building: Cards in the tableau can be built up or down by one rank, but always in the same suit. For example, you may place the 7♣ on either the 6♣ or the 8♣.
• Moving Cards: Only one card at a time may be moved between tableau piles. Sequences cannot be moved as a unit; however, sequences can be reversed using empty tableau piles (see Special Rules).
• Empty Tableau Piles: Any available card may be placed into an empty tableau pile.

Gameplay:

• Turn Sequence:

  • Move any available Ace to an empty foundation pile as soon as it becomes available.
  • Build foundations up in suit whenever possible.
  • Move cards between tableau piles by building up or down in suit, one card at a time.
  • Use empty tableau piles strategically to temporarily hold cards and facilitate the rearrangement or reversal of sequences.

• No Stock or Reserve: There is no stock or reserve pile in Fortress Solitaire. All cards are dealt at the start and are visible.

• No Redeal: Once all moves are exhausted, there is no redeal.

• When No Moves Are Possible:

  • If you cannot make any legal moves (to foundations or between tableau piles), the game ends and is considered lost.

Winning & Losing Conditions:

• Winning: The game is won when all 52 cards have been moved to the foundations, each built up in suit from Ace to King.
• Losing: The game is lost or unwinnable if no further legal moves are possible and not all cards have been moved to the foundations.

Special Rules & Edge Cases:

• Filling Empty Tableau Piles: Any available card may be placed into an empty tableau pile. This is a critical mechanic for reversing sequences and unlocking further moves.
• Sequence Reversal: You may use an empty tableau pile as a "way station" to reverse the order of a sequence. For example, to move a sequence from one pile to another in reverse order, move the cards one by one into the empty pile, then move them one by one to the destination pile.
• No Suit Alternation: All building, both in the tableau and on the foundations, must be done strictly by suit. There is no alternation by color or suit.
• No Multi-Card Moves: Only single cards may be moved at a time, even if a sequence is in order.
• No Redeals or Stock: All cards are dealt at the start; there is no mechanism for redealing or drawing additional cards.
• Automatic Foundation Moves: In some digital versions, cards that can be played to the foundation may move automatically.

Definitions:

• Tableau: The main area of play, consisting of ten piles where cards are initially dealt and manipulated.
• Foundations: Four central piles to be built up in suit from Ace to King.
• Outer Card: The only card in a tableau pile that is available for play; typically the top card of each pile.

This guide provides a comprehensive, precise explanation of the unique rules and play mechanics of Fortress Solitaire.