Harp

Game Objective:

The primary goal in Harp Solitaire is to move all 104 cards (from two standard 52-card decks) to the eight foundation piles, building each foundation up in ascending order by suit from Ace to King.

Setup & Layout:

• Deck: Use two standard decks (104 cards total).
• Tableau: Deal nine columns:
  • 1st column: 1 card
  • 2nd column: 2 cards
  • Continue increasing by one card per column until the 9th column has 9 cards.
  • Only the top card of each column is dealt face-up; all cards beneath are face-down.
  • This results in 45 cards in the tableau.
• Stock: The remaining 59 cards form the stock pile (draw pile), placed face-down.
• Waste: Cards drawn from the stock are placed face-up on the waste pile. Only the top card of the waste is available for play.
• Foundations: Eight foundation piles are placed above the tableau, starting empty. Each foundation will be built up by suit from Ace to King.

Harp Solitaire Rules:

• Foundations:
  • Foundations are built up by suit, starting with Ace and ending with King.
  • Only an Ace may be placed on an empty foundation. Subsequent cards must be one rank higher and of the same suit as the card currently on top of the foundation.
• Tableau:
  • Cards are built down in alternating colors (red on black or black on red) and in descending rank.
  • Only the top (face-up) card of each tableau column is available for movement.
  • Only one card may be moved at a time within the tableau.
  • Exception: If a tableau column is empty, it may only be filled with a King or a properly ordered descending sequence starting with a King.
• Stock & Waste:
  • Draw cards one at a time from the stock to the waste pile.
  • The top card of the waste pile can be played to the tableau or the foundation if it fits the rules.
  • Classic rule: You may go through the stock up to four times (initial pass plus three redeals). Some variants allow unlimited passes.
• Flipping Cards:
  • When the top (face-up) card of a tableau column is moved, flip the next card in that column face-up.

Gameplay:

• Move available cards from the tableau or waste to the foundations whenever possible, following the suit and ascending order rule.
• Build tableau columns down in alternating colors, moving only one card at a time unless moving a King or a King-led sequence into an empty column.
• Draw cards from the stock to the waste pile when no moves are available in the tableau.
• Play the top card of the waste pile to either the tableau (if it fits the descending alternating color rule) or to the foundations (if it fits the ascending suit rule).
• After exhausting the stock, gather the waste pile, turn it face-down, and use it as the new stock. The classic rule allows up to three redeals, for a total of four passes through the stock. Some versions permit unlimited redeals.
• If no legal moves remain and the stock is exhausted (with no redeals left), the game ends.

Winning & Losing Conditions:

• Win: The game is won when all 104 cards are moved to the foundations, each built up in suit from Ace to King.
• Lose/Unwinnable: The game is lost or unwinnable if no legal moves remain and the stock cannot be redealt (i.e., all allowed passes through the stock are used and not all cards are in the foundations).

Special Rules & Edge Cases:

• Empty Tableau Columns: Only a King (or a descending sequence starting with a King) may fill an empty tableau column.
• Sequence Movement: While only one card may be moved at a time within the tableau, the exception is moving a properly ordered descending sequence headed by a King into an empty column.
• Redealing Stock: Classic Harp Solitaire restricts the number of passes through the stock to four (initial plus three redeals). Some online versions may allow unlimited redeals.
• Card Availability: Only the top card of each tableau pile and the top card of the waste pile are available for play.
• No Free Cells or Reserve: Harp Solitaire does not use free cells or reserve piles; all play areas are tableau, foundations, stock, and waste.

Summary of Key Terms:

• Tableau: The main play area of nine columns where cards are built down in alternating colors.
• Foundations: Eight piles built up by suit from Ace to King.
• Stock: The draw pile of remaining cards.
• Waste: Pile where cards from the stock are placed face-up and are available for play.

This guide provides the definitive rules and mechanics for Harp Solitaire, ensuring precise understanding and optimal gameplay adherence.