Lucas

Game Objective:

The primary goal in Lucas Solitaire is to move all cards from the tableau and stock to the foundation piles, building each foundation up in ascending order by suit from Ace to King.

Setup & Layout:

• Deck: Lucas Solitaire is most commonly played with a single standard 52-card deck. Some sources reference a two-deck (104 card) variant, but the standard version uses one deck.
• Foundations: Four foundation piles are placed at the top of the play area. Each foundation starts with an Ace of each suit already placed face-up.
• Tableau: Thirteen tableau piles are arranged below the foundations. Each tableau pile is dealt three cards face-up, for a total of 39 cards.
• Stock: The remaining cards (10 cards) form the stock pile, placed face-down.
• Waste: There is one waste pile, initially empty. Cards from the stock that cannot be played immediately are placed here.

Play Areas Defined:

• Foundation: Where cards are built up by suit, starting with Ace.
• Tableau: Thirteen columns where cards are built down by suit.
• Stock: Face-down pile for drawing new cards.
• Waste: Face-up pile for cards drawn from the stock that are not immediately playable.

Lucas Solitaire Rules:

• Card Movement:
• Only the top card of each tableau pile or waste pile may be moved.
• Cards may be moved from tableau or waste to foundations or other tableau piles.
• Building Sequences:
• Foundations: Build up by suit, from Ace to King (e.g., Ace ♠, 2 ♠, 3 ♠, …, King ♠).
• Tableau: Build down by suit, from King to Ace (e.g., 8 ♥, 7 ♥, 6 ♥).
• Moving Cards:
• Only one card may be moved at a time.
• Any single card can be moved to fill an empty tableau pile.
• Cards cannot be moved from the foundation back to the tableau or waste.
• Stock and Waste:
• When drawing from the stock, one card is dealt face-up to the waste pile.
• The top card of the waste pile may be played to the tableau or foundation.
• No redeals are permitted; only a single pass through the stock is allowed.

Gameplay:

1. Move cards from tableau and waste to foundations whenever possible, following suit and ascending order.
2. Build tableau piles down by suit using available cards from tableau or waste.
3. Fill empty tableau piles with any available single card from tableau or waste.
4. Draw cards from the stock one at a time to the waste pile when no other moves are available or at your discretion.
5. Play the top card of the waste pile to the tableau or foundation if legal.
6. Continue until all cards are moved to the foundations or no more legal moves remain.

Winning & Losing Conditions:

• Winning Condition: The game is won when all cards are successfully built onto the four foundation piles, each completed from Ace to King by suit.
• Losing/Unwinnable Condition: The game is lost or becomes unwinnable if no legal moves remain and the stock is exhausted, leaving cards stranded in the tableau or waste.

Special Rules & Edge Cases:

• Filling Empty Tableau Piles: Any single card (from tableau or waste) may be placed into an empty tableau pile.
• Stock Limitation: Only one pass through the stock is allowed; there are no redeals.
• Sequence Restrictions: Only single cards may be moved; sequences cannot be moved as a group.
• Foundation Lock: Cards placed on the foundation cannot be moved elsewhere.
• Tableau Visibility: All tableau cards are dealt face-up, ensuring full visibility and strategic planning.
• Waste Pile: The waste pile only receives cards from the stock; once emptied, it remains empty until more cards are drawn from the stock.

Summary of Unique Mechanics:
Lucas Solitaire distinguishes itself by its large tableau (13 piles), the pre-placement of Aces in the foundations, strict suit-based building for both tableau and foundations, and the absence of redeals, making strategic planning essential for success.