Miss Milligan

Game Objective:

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

Setup & Layout:

• Deck: Two standard 52-card decks (total 104 cards).
• Tableau: Deal eight cards face-up in a horizontal row to form eight tableau piles.
• Foundations: Above the tableau, designate eight empty foundation piles (one for each suit, two of each due to double decks).
• Stock: The remaining cards form a face-down stock pile.
• Reserve (Pocket): One special reserve space (sometimes called a “pocket” or “weaving pile”) is set aside, initially empty, to hold a single card or a sequence after the stock is exhausted.

Key Play Areas:

• Tableau: Eight piles where most play occurs.
• Foundations: Eight piles to build up each suit from Ace to King.
• Stock: Supplies new cards to the tableau.
• Reserve/Pocket: Holds one card or sequence after stock is depleted.

All tableau cards are dealt face-up at the start. The stock and reserve begin face-down and empty, respectively.

Miss Milligan Solitaire Rules:

• Foundations: Build up in suit from Ace to King (e.g., Ace♠, 2♠, …, King♠).
• Tableau:
• Build down in alternating colors (e.g., Red 10 on Black Jack).
• Move any available single card or a properly sequenced group of cards (descending, alternating colors) between tableau piles.
• Only Kings or sequences starting with a King may fill empty tableau spaces.
• Stock Dealing: At any time, deal one card face-up from the stock onto each tableau pile.
• Reserve/Pocket:
• After the stock is depleted, you may move a single card or a legal sequence from the tableau to the reserve.
• Only one card or sequence may occupy the reserve at a time.
• Cards in the reserve may be returned to the tableau or moved to the foundations, following standard building rules.
• No Redeals: Once the stock is exhausted, no redeal is permitted.

Gameplay:

1. Initial Moves:

• Move any available Aces from the tableau to start the foundations.
• Build tableau piles down in alternating colors, moving single cards or valid sequences as allowed.

1. Dealing from Stock:

• When no further moves are possible or desired, deal one card from the stock onto each tableau pile.
• Continue building sequences and moving cards to foundations as opportunities arise.

1. Using the Reserve:

• Once the stock is empty, you may move a single card or a sequence from any tableau pile to the reserve.
• Only one card or sequence can occupy the reserve at a time.
• You may move the card or sequence from the reserve back to the tableau or directly to the foundations if legal.

1. Legal Moves:

• Move top cards or sequences (descending, alternating color) between tableau piles.
• Move cards to the foundations in ascending suit order.
• Fill empty tableau spaces only with a King or a sequence headed by a King.
• Use the reserve strategically to unblock cards or facilitate builds.

If no legal moves remain and the stock is exhausted, the game ends.

Winning & Losing Conditions:

• Winning: The game is won when all 104 cards are moved to the eight foundations, each built up in suit from Ace to King.
• Losing: The game is lost (unwinnable) if no further legal moves exist and not all cards have been moved to the foundations.

Special Rules & Edge Cases:

• Filling Empty Tableau Spaces: Only a single King or a sequence starting with a King may fill an empty tableau pile.
• Reserve Restrictions:
• Only one card or sequence may occupy the reserve at any time.
• The reserve can be emptied and refilled as many times as needed, but only after it is empty.
• If a sequence is placed in the reserve, it must be moved as a whole; individual cards within the sequence cannot be moved separately until the sequence is returned to the tableau or foundations.
• Moving from Foundations: Some versions allow moving the top card of a foundation back to the tableau if needed, though this is rarely advantageous and may not be permitted in all implementations.
• No Redeal: Once the stock is empty, no further dealing is allowed.

Summary of Unique Features:

• Use of a single reserve/pocket for unblocking.
• Only Kings or King-led sequences fill empty tableau spaces.
• No redeal after the stock is exhausted.
• Sequences must maintain alternating color and descending order in the tableau.

These rules distinguish Miss Milligan Solitaire from other solitaire variants, requiring careful planning and strategic use of the reserve to achieve victory.