Giza

Game Objective:

The primary goal in Giza Solitaire is to remove all 52 cards from play by discarding pairs of cards whose combined values total exactly 13, with Kings being removed singly.

Setup & Layout:

• Deck: Giza Solitaire uses a standard 52-card deck.
• Pyramid: Deal 28 cards face-up in a pyramid formation. The pyramid consists of 7 overlapping rows, with 1 card in the top row, 2 in the second, and so on, ending with 7 cards in the bottom row. All pyramid cards are dealt face-up and partially overlap the cards below them.
• Tableau: Deal the remaining 24 cards into 8 tableau piles, each containing 3 cards. All tableau cards are dealt face-up and do not overlap.
• Key Play Areas:
• Pyramid: The central triangular layout of 28 face-up cards.
• Tableau: Eight separate piles of 3 face-up cards each, typically arranged below or beside the pyramid.
• Foundation/Discard: There is no traditional foundation; instead, removed pairs are discarded from play.

Giza Solitaire Rules:

• Card Values: Ace = 1, Jack = 11, Queen = 12, King = 13. Kings are removed singly.
• Pairing: Only pairs of uncovered cards (not overlapped by any other card) whose values sum to 13 may be removed. Kings, valued at 13, are removed individually.
• Tableau Play: Cards in the tableau are always available for pairing, as all are face-up and not overlapped.
• Pyramid Play: Only pyramid cards that are completely uncovered (i.e., not overlapped by any card in the row above) may be paired and removed.
• Pairing Across Areas: Pairs can be formed using any combination of uncovered pyramid cards and tableau cards (e.g., one from the pyramid and one from the tableau, or both from the tableau).
• Sequence Movement: There is no building or moving of sequences; cards are only removed in pairs totaling 13 or as single Kings.

Gameplay:

• On each turn, the player examines all uncovered cards in the pyramid and all tableau cards.
• The player removes either:
• Any single uncovered King, or
• Any pair of uncovered cards (from pyramid, tableau, or both) whose values total 13.
• After a pair or a King is removed, if this action uncovers new cards in the pyramid, those cards become available for pairing on subsequent turns.
• The process repeats: the player continues removing valid pairs or Kings as long as possible.
• There is no stock or waste pile in Giza Solitaire; all cards are dealt at the start and remain face-up in the pyramid or tableau.
• If no more valid pairs or Kings can be removed, and cards remain on the tableau or pyramid, play ends.

Winning & Losing Conditions:

• Win: The game is won if the player successfully removes all 52 cards by valid pairings and single Kings.
• Loss/Unwinnable: The game is lost (or unwinnable) if no further legal moves are possible and cards remain on the tableau or pyramid.

Special Rules & Edge Cases:

• Empty Tableau Piles: Once all cards are removed from a tableau pile, the space remains empty and cannot be refilled; there is no mechanism for moving cards into empty tableau spaces.
• No Stock or Redeal: Unlike some Pyramid Solitaire variants, Giza Solitaire does not use a stock or waste pile; all cards are in play from the start and there is no redeal.
• Pairing Restrictions: Only uncovered cards may be paired and removed. Cards covered by others in the pyramid are not eligible until uncovered.
• Pairing Flexibility: Pairs may be formed between any two uncovered cards, regardless of their location (pyramid or tableau).

Definitions:

• Uncovered Card: A card is uncovered if no other card is partially overlapping it (in the pyramid) or if it is the top card of a tableau pile.
• Tableau: In Giza Solitaire, this refers to the eight piles of three face-up cards each, separate from the pyramid.

This guide reflects the official rules and structure of Giza Solitaire as documented by leading sources.