King Albert

Game Objective:

The primary goal in King Albert Solitaire is to move all 52 cards to the four foundation piles, building each foundation by suit in ascending order from Ace to King.

Setup & Layout:

• Deck Used: Standard 52-card deck.
• Initial Arrangement:
• Tableau: Nine columns are created. The first column contains one card, the second two, the third three, continuing up to the ninth column, which contains nine cards. All cards are dealt face-up and fanned so their ranks and suits are visible.
• Reserve: The seven remaining cards (after dealing the tableau) are placed face-up in a single row, forming the reserve (also called the "Belgian Reserve").
• Foundations: Four empty spaces are reserved for the foundation piles. These start empty and are filled during play.
• Face-Up/Face-Down: All cards are dealt face-up; there are no face-down cards in King Albert Solitaire.

Key Play Areas:

• Tableau: The main play area with nine columns.
• Reserve: A row of seven face-up cards, available for play.
• Foundations: Four piles, one for each suit, built from Ace to King.

King Albert Solitaire Rules:

• Card Movement:
• Only the top card of each tableau column and any reserve card are available for play at any time.
• Cards may be moved one at a time; sequences cannot be moved together.
• Tableau Building:
• Cards are built downward by rank (e.g., 9 on 10).
• Cards must alternate colors (red on black, black on red).
• Any available card (from tableau or reserve) may be placed into any empty tableau column.
• Foundation Building:
• Foundations are built upward, by suit, starting with Ace and ending with King (e.g., Ace, 2, 3, …, King).
• Only an Ace may be placed in an empty foundation pile.
• The top card of a foundation pile may be moved back to the tableau if needed.
• Reserve Rules:
• Only the top card of the reserve is available for play.
• Reserve spaces, once emptied, cannot be refilled.

Gameplay:

• Sequence of Actions:
• Move available cards from the tableau or reserve to build down in alternating colors on the tableau, or build up by suit on the foundations.
• Use empty tableau spaces strategically to maneuver cards and uncover buried cards.
• Move Aces to empty foundation piles as soon as they become available, then continue building up by suit.
• Cards from the reserve can be played onto the tableau or foundations at any time, but once a reserve spot is empty, it remains empty.
• Introducing New Cards:
• No new cards are introduced during play; all cards are available from the initial deal.
• When No Legal Moves Remain:
• If no more moves are possible (no cards can be built on tableau or foundations, and no reserve cards are playable), the game ends in a loss.

Winning & Losing Conditions:

• Winning Condition:
• The game is won when all 52 cards are moved to the four foundation piles, each built by suit from Ace to King.
• Losing Condition:
• The game is lost (unwinnable) if no legal moves remain and not all cards have been moved to the foundations.

Special Rules & Edge Cases:

• Filling Empty Tableau Columns:
• Any available card (from tableau or reserve) may be placed in an empty tableau column.
• Reserve Restrictions:
• Reserve cards can only be played; once a reserve spot is emptied, it cannot be refilled.
• Foundation Flexibility:
• The top card of a foundation pile may be moved back to the tableau if needed for further play.
• Sequence Movement:
• Only single cards may be moved at a time; sequences cannot be moved together.
• All Cards Face-Up:
• Since all cards are face-up from the start, there is no hidden information or need to reveal cards during play.

Definitions:

• Tableau: The main area where cards are built down in alternating colors.
• Reserve: A row of seven face-up cards, each available for play but not refillable.
• Foundation: Four piles, one for each suit, built from Ace to King.

This guide provides a precise and comprehensive reference for playing King Albert Solitaire, with all essential mechanics and rules clearly defined.