Frog

Game Objective:

The primary goal in Frog Solitaire is to move all 104 cards (using two standard 52-card decks) to the eight foundation piles by building sequences from Ace to King, regardless of suit.

Setup & Layout:

• Deck: Two standard 52-card decks (total 104 cards).
• Foundations: Eight piles, initially empty. Any Ace dealt during setup is immediately placed on a foundation; if no Ace appears in the reserve, one Ace is removed from the deck and placed to start the first foundation.
• Frog (Reserve): One pile containing 13 cards, all dealt face-up. No Aces are placed in the Frog; if an Ace appears during the deal, it is moved to the foundations.
• Tableau (Waste Columns): Five columns, all initially empty. These columns serve as temporary holding areas for cards drawn from the stock.
• Stock: The remaining cards after setting up the foundations and Frog. Cards are drawn one at a time from the stock.
• Face-Up/Face-Down: All cards in the Frog and tableau are dealt face-up. The stock is face-down until cards are drawn.

Play Areas Defined:

• Foundations: Build sequences from Ace to King.
• Frog (Reserve): Holds 13 face-up cards; only the top card is playable.
• Tableau (Waste Columns): Five piles for cards from the stock; only the top card is playable.
• Stock: Draw pile for remaining cards.

Frog Solitaire Rules:

• Card Movement:

• Cards may only be moved to the foundations from the Frog, tableau, or stock. Cards cannot be moved between tableau columns or from the Frog to the tableau.

• Only the top card of the Frog or tableau is available for play.

• Cards from the stock can be placed onto any tableau column, regardless of rank or suit.

• Once a card is placed in the tableau, it cannot be moved except to the foundation.

• Building Foundations:

• Foundations are built up from Ace to King, regardless of suit.

• Only one card may be moved at a time; sequences cannot be moved.

• Once a card is placed on a foundation, it cannot be removed.

• Filling Empty Spaces:

• Any empty tableau column may be filled with any card drawn from the stock, but not from the Frog or other tableau columns.

Gameplay:

1. Initial Deal:

• Deal 13 cards face-up to the Frog (reserve). Move any Aces dealt to the foundations immediately.
• Place eight Aces on the foundations (from the reserve or directly from the deck if not dealt).
• The remaining cards form the stock.

1. Turn Sequence:

• Draw one card at a time from the stock.
• Place the drawn card on any tableau column (waste pile), regardless of rank or suit.
• Only the top card of each tableau column and the Frog is available for play onto the foundations.
• Move eligible cards (top card of tableau or Frog) to the foundations if they continue the sequence (i.e., next rank up, regardless of suit).

1. Introducing New Cards:

• After each stock draw, place the card on any tableau column.
• If a tableau column is empty, the next stock card may be placed there.

1. No Redeals:

• Once the stock is exhausted, no redeals are permitted.

1. No Legal Moves:

• If no cards can be moved to the foundations and no cards remain in the stock, the game ends.

Winning & Losing Conditions:

• Win Condition: All 104 cards are successfully moved to the eight foundation piles, each built from Ace to King.
• Lose/Unwinnable Condition: The game is lost if no more legal moves are possible and cards remain outside the foundations, or if the stock is depleted and not all cards are in the foundations.

Special Rules & Edge Cases:

• Frog (Reserve) Restrictions:

• Only the top card of the Frog is available for play to the foundations.

• No cards can be moved into the Frog; once emptied, it remains empty.

• Tableau Restrictions:

• Cards in the tableau cannot be moved to other tableau columns or to the Frog; only the top card can be played to the foundations.

• Empty tableau columns can only be filled by cards drawn from the stock, not from other tableau columns or the Frog.

• Foundation Rules:

• Any Ace encountered during the initial deal to the Frog is immediately placed on the foundations.

• Foundations are built strictly upward by rank, regardless of suit. For example, any 2 may be placed on any Ace, any 3 on any 2, etc..

• Cards cannot be removed from the foundations once placed.

• No Sequence Moves:

• Only single cards may be moved at a time; sequences cannot be moved.

• No Redeal:

• The stock is dealt once; when exhausted, no redeals are allowed.

• Edge Case – Initial Deal:

• If no Ace appears in the Frog during the initial deal, one Ace is removed from the deck and placed on the first foundation.

Summary of Key Terms:

• Frog (Reserve): The initial 13-card face-up pile; only the top card is playable.
• Foundation: Eight piles built up from Ace to King, regardless of suit.
• Tableau (Waste Columns): Five columns for cards drawn from the stock; only the top card is playable.
• Stock: Remaining cards after setup, drawn one at a time.
• No Redeal: The stock is dealt only once per game.

This guide provides a precise, rule-based framework for playing Frog Solitaire, ensuring clarity and accuracy for both new and experienced players.