Mount Olympus

Game Objective:

The objective of Mount Olympus Solitaire is to move all cards from the tableau and stock onto the 16 foundation piles, building each foundation in a specific sequence by suit until all cards are placed, with kings and queens on top of their respective foundations.

Setup & Layout:

• Deck: Two standard 52-card decks (104 cards total) are used.
• Foundations: Remove all eight Aces and all eight Twos from the decks (16 cards in total). Arrange these in two rows to form the 16 foundation piles. All foundation cards are placed face up.
  • The top row consists of the Aces (one of each suit, twice).
  • The bottom row consists of the Twos (one of each suit, twice).
• Tableau: Shuffle the remaining 88 cards and deal nine cards face up in a row beneath the foundations to form the nine tableau piles.
• Stock: The undealt cards form the stock pile, placed aside face down.
• Key Play Areas:
  • Foundations: 16 piles (Aces and Twos).
  • Tableau: 9 piles (each starts with one face-up card).
  • Stock: The remaining face-down cards.

Mount Olympus Solitaire Rules:

• Foundation Building:
  • On Aces: Build up by suit in intervals of two: A, 3, 5, 7, 9, J, K.
  • On Twos: Build up by suit in intervals of two: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, Q.
  • Only cards of the same suit and the correct sequence can be placed on each foundation.
• Tableau Building:
  • Build down by twos in the same suit (e.g., 9♠ can be placed on 7♠).
  • Only cards of the same suit and two ranks apart can be stacked.
  • Sequences: Any group of cards in correct descending order and suit (e.g., 9♠-7♠-5♠) may be moved together as a unit between tableau piles.
• Card Movement:
  • Only the top card or a valid sequence from a tableau pile may be moved to another tableau pile or to the foundations.
  • Empty tableau piles must be filled immediately from the stock.
• Dealing from Stock:
  • At any time, deal one card from the stock onto each tableau pile (nine cards total), regardless of the pile’s contents.
  • There are no redeals; once the stock is exhausted, no more cards can be dealt.

Gameplay:

• Turn Sequence:
  • Move available cards or valid sequences from tableau piles to other tableau piles or to the foundations, following the building rules above.
  • After all possible moves, or when desired, deal a new row of nine cards from the stock—one onto each tableau pile.
  • Continue moving cards and dealing new rows until all cards are moved to the foundations or no moves remain and the stock is empty.
• Introducing New Cards:
  • New cards are only introduced to the tableau by dealing nine cards from the stock, one per pile.
  • If a tableau pile is empty, it must be filled immediately with the next card from the stock before any other moves are made.
• No Moves Available:
  • If no legal moves are possible and the stock is empty, the game ends.

Winning & Losing Conditions:

• Win: The game is won when all 104 cards are successfully built onto the 16 foundation piles, with each foundation completed in the correct sequence and suit (kings and queens on top as appropriate).
• Loss/Unwinnable: The game is lost or unwinnable if no further legal moves are possible and the stock is exhausted, leaving cards stranded in the tableau.

Special Rules & Edge Cases:

• Filling Tableau Spaces: Any empty tableau pile must be filled immediately with the next card from the stock before any other moves can be made.
• Moving Sequences: Only sequences in exact descending order by twos and in the same suit may be moved as a unit between tableau piles.
• No Redeals: Once the stock is empty, no further cards can be dealt; play continues only with the cards remaining in the tableau.
• Partial Sequences: Only complete, in-suit sequences may be moved; partial or mixed-suit sequences are not permitted.
• Foundation Priority: Any card that can be played to a foundation may be moved there at any time.
• Dealing Timing: Players may choose when to deal a new row from the stock, but it is generally optimal to exhaust all other moves first.
• Multiple Decks: As two decks are used, there will be duplicate cards for each suit and rank; both must be correctly placed in their respective foundation sequences.

Definitions:

• Foundation: A pile where cards are built up in a prescribed order and suit, starting from an Ace or Two.
• Tableau: The main area where cards are arranged in piles and manipulated during play.
• Stock: The remaining undealt cards, used to replenish the tableau.

This guide reflects the most widely accepted modern rules for Mount Olympus Solitaire, prioritizing official and reputable sources.