Minerva

Game Objective:

The primary goal in Minerva Solitaire is to move all cards from the tableau, reserve, and stock to the four foundation piles, building each foundation up in suit from Ace to King.

Setup & Layout:

• Deck: One standard 52-card deck is used.
• Tableau: Seven tableau piles, each initially containing four cards dealt face up.
• Foundations: Four foundation piles, all starting empty.
• Reserve: One reserve pile, with only the top card accessible.
• Stock: The remaining cards form the stock pile, face down.
• Waste: The waste pile is initially empty; cards are dealt here from the stock, face up.

Play Areas Defined:

• Tableau: The main play area where cards are arranged in seven piles, built down in alternating colors.
• Foundations: The destination piles, built up in suit from Ace to King.
• Reserve: A single pile with only the top card available for play.
• Stock: The draw pile for new cards.
• Waste: The pile where cards from the stock are placed face up for play.

Minerva Solitaire Rules:

• Foundations:

• Four foundations, one for each suit.

• Only an Ace may be moved to an empty foundation.

• Foundations must be built up by suit in ascending order (Ace, 2, 3, …, King).

• Tableau:

• Seven tableau piles, each building down by alternating color (red-black-red or black-red-black).

• Only a King or a group of cards with a King at the bottom may be moved to an empty tableau pile.

• Sequences of cards in correct order (built down by alternating color) may be moved as a group.

• Reserve:

• Only the top card of the reserve is playable.

• Cards cannot be moved into the reserve.

• Stock & Waste:

• The stock deals one card face up to the waste pile at a time.

• Only the top card of the waste is playable.

• One redeal is permitted: after the stock is exhausted, the waste pile is turned over to form a new stock, allowing for two complete passes through the deck.

Gameplay:

• On each turn, the player may:
• Move cards from the tableau, reserve, or waste to the foundations if they follow the ascending suit order.
• Move cards or valid sequences within the tableau, following the rule of building down by alternating color.
• Move the top card of the reserve or waste to the tableau or foundations, if legal.
• Fill an empty tableau pile only with a King or a group of cards with a King at the bottom.
• Deal one card at a time from the stock to the waste when no further moves are available or desired.
• When the stock is depleted, the waste pile may be turned over to form a new stock once per game.
• If no legal moves remain and the stock is exhausted after the permitted redeal, the game ends.

Winning & Losing Conditions:

• Win: The game is won when all 52 cards are successfully moved to the four foundations, built up in suit from Ace to King.
• Loss: The game is lost if, after the permitted redeal, no further legal moves are possible and not all cards are in the foundations.

Special Rules & Edge Cases:

• Empty Tableau Spaces: Only a King or a valid sequence of cards with a King at the bottom may be moved to an empty tableau pile.
• Reserve Restrictions: Only the top card of the reserve is playable; cards may not be moved into the reserve at any time.
• Stock Redeal: The stock may be replenished from the waste pile only once per game, for a total of two passes through the stock.
• Sequence Movement: Sequences in the tableau may be moved as a unit only if they are in strict descending order and alternate in color.
• No Movement into Reserve: The reserve is a one-way area; only the top card can be played, and no cards can be added back into it.

Note: The odds of winning Minerva Solitaire are low (about 25%), and the game requires both skill and luck to complete successfully.