Fortress of Mercy

Game Objective:

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

Setup & Layout:

• Deck: Use a standard 52-card deck.
• Tableau: Deal all cards face-up into 10 tableau piles, arranged in two columns (“wings”) of five piles each.
• The two outermost tableau piles (one on each wing) receive 6 cards each.
• The remaining eight tableau piles each receive 5 cards.
• All cards in the tableau are dealt face-up and are fully visible at all times.
• Foundations: Place four empty foundation spaces in a vertical column between the two tableau wings.
• In some digital implementations, an Ace is initially dealt to the first two foundation piles.
• Play Areas Defined:
• Tableau: The primary area where cards are manipulated and sequences are built.
• Foundations: The target piles where cards are built up by suit from Ace to King.
• No Stock or Reserve: There are no draw piles, reserves, or cells in this variant.

Fortress of Mercy Solitaire Rules:

• Card Movement Principles:
• Only the top (outermost) card of each tableau pile is available for play.
• Cards may be moved between tableau piles or to the foundations as permitted by the building rules.
• Building Sequences in Tableau:
• Cards can be built either up or down by suit (e.g., 7♠ on 6♠ or 8♠).
• Sequences must always be in the same suit.
• You may move a single card or a sequence of cards in correct order and suit.
• Moving to Foundations:
• Foundations are built up in suit from Ace to King (A, 2, 3, …, K).
• Any available Ace may be moved to any empty foundation space.
• Only the next higher card of the same suit may be placed on a foundation pile.
• Empty Tableau Piles:
• Any available card (i.e., any top card from another tableau pile) may be moved to fill an empty tableau pile.
• Special “Mercy” Rule:
• Once per game, you may move any one card (regardless of normal movement restrictions) to the top of any tableau pile.
• This is called the “merci” move and is unique to Fortress of Mercy.

Gameplay:

• On each turn, you may:
• Move an available card from the tableau to a foundation, following the suit and ascending order rule.
• Move an available card or a properly ordered sequence (up or down by suit) between tableau piles.
• Fill any empty tableau pile with any available card.
• Introducing New Cards:
• No new cards are introduced after the initial deal; all cards are visible and in play from the start.
• Using the “Merci” Move:
• At any point, if you are unable to make progress, you may use your single “merci” move to reposition any one card to the top of any tableau pile.
• No Redeal:
• There is no redeal; once all moves are exhausted, the game ends.

Winning & Losing Conditions:

• Winning: You win if all 52 cards are successfully moved onto the four foundation piles, each built up in suit from Ace to King.
• Losing: The game is lost if no more legal moves are available, including after the “merci” move has been used, and not all cards are on the foundations.

Special Rules & Edge Cases:

• Filling Empty Tableau Piles: Any available card from the tableau may fill an empty tableau pile.
• “Merci” Move: Once per game, you may move any one card (from anywhere in the tableau) to the top of any tableau pile, regardless of normal movement rules.
• No Stock, Reserve, or Redeal: There is no stock or reserve pile, and no redeal is permitted.
• All Cards Visible: All cards are dealt face-up and remain visible throughout the game.
• Sequence Reversal: Empty tableau piles can be used strategically to reverse sequences by moving cards one by one through the empty pile.
• Foundation Flexibility: In some digital versions, any Ace may be moved to any empty foundation space, allowing for flexibility in foundation setup.

Definitions:

• Tableau: The main play area consisting of 10 piles where cards are built up or down in suit.
• Foundation: Four piles where cards are built up by suit from Ace to King.
• Merci Move: A unique, once-per-game action allowing any single card to be moved to the top of any tableau pile, overriding normal movement restrictions.