King Tut

Game Objective:

The primary objective in King Tut Solitaire is to remove all cards from the pyramid by pairing exposed cards whose values total exactly 13, using a standard 52-card deck. Kings, valued at 13, are removed individually as single cards.

Setup & Layout:

• Deck: Use a standard 52-card deck.
• Pyramid Tableau: Deal 28 cards face-up in a pyramid formation:
  • 1 card in the top row,
  • 2 cards in the second row (overlapping the first),
  • Continue this pattern until the seventh row contains 7 cards.
• Stock: Place the remaining 24 cards face-down as the stock pile beside the pyramid.
• Waste Pile: As cards are drawn from the stock, they are placed face-up into a waste pile.
• Foundations: There are no traditional foundation piles; instead, removed pairs (or single Kings) form a discard pile.

Key Play Areas:

• Pyramid/Tableau: The main play area, consisting of 28 face-up cards arranged in a pyramid.
• Stock: The draw pile of unused cards, face-down.
• Waste: The pile where unpaired drawn cards are placed, face-up.

King Tut Solitaire Rules:

• Card Values: Ace = 1, 2–10 = face value, Jack = 11, Queen = 12, King = 13.
• Pairing Rule: Remove pairs of uncovered cards (not overlapped by any other card) whose combined values total 13.
  • Example pairs: Queen (12) + Ace (1), Jack (11) + 2, 10 + 3, 9 + 4, 8 + 5, 7 + 6.
• Kings: Kings (value 13) are removed individually as soon as they are uncovered.
• Stock Draw: In King Tut Solitaire, cards are drawn from the stock three at a time (not one at a time as in standard Pyramid), and only the top card of the three-card waste pile is available for pairing.
• Waste Pile: If the top waste card cannot be paired, it remains on the waste until covered by a new card from the next stock draw.
• Card Movement: Only uncovered cards in the pyramid and the top card of the waste pile may be paired and removed.
• No Building: There is no building of sequences by suit or color; the only allowed move is pairing to sum 13.

Gameplay:

1. Identify and Remove Pairs:
   • Examine the pyramid for any uncovered pairs totaling 13 and remove them.
   • Remove any uncovered Kings immediately.
2. Draw from Stock:
   • When no more pairs can be made from the pyramid alone, draw three cards at a time from the stock pile, placing them face-up in the waste pile.
   • Only the top card of the waste pile is available to pair with uncovered pyramid cards or with other available cards if possible.
3. Continue Pairing:
   • Continue to pair and remove cards from the pyramid and waste as long as legal moves are available.
   • Repeat drawing from the stock in groups of three until the stock is depleted.
4. No Redeals: In the standard King Tut rules, once the stock is exhausted, no redeals are allowed.
5. Game End: The game ends when all pyramid cards are removed (win), or when no more legal moves are possible and the stock is exhausted (loss).

Winning & Losing Conditions:

• Winning Condition: The game is won when all cards from the pyramid have been removed by valid pairings (or single Kings).
• Losing Condition: The game is lost if, after the stock is exhausted and no further legal pairings are possible, any cards remain in the pyramid.

Special Rules & Edge Cases:

• Filling Empty Spaces: There is no mechanism for filling empty spaces in the pyramid; once a card is removed, the space remains empty.
• Stock Draw Specifics: Always draw three cards at a time from the stock. Only the top card of the waste pile is available for play, and previous waste cards are inaccessible until covered by subsequent draws.
• Uncovered Definition: A card is considered uncovered if no other card overlaps it in the pyramid.
• No Sequence Movement: Sequences or stacks of cards cannot be moved; only individual, uncovered cards are eligible for removal.
• No Redeals: Standard rules do not allow the stock to be reshuffled or redealt after it is exhausted.
• Edge Case – No Moves: If no pairs can be made and the stock is empty, the game ends immediately as a loss.

Summary of Unique Features:
King Tut Solitaire is a variant of Pyramid Solitaire distinguished by drawing three cards at a time from the stock and only allowing the top waste card to be played, increasing difficulty and requiring careful planning.