Munger

Game Objective:

The primary goal in Munger Solitaire is to build up all cards onto the foundation piles, following suit and in ascending order from Ace to King, using a single standard 52-card deck.

Setup & Layout:

• Deck: Use one standard 52-card deck. Remove jokers if present.
• Tableau: Deal 4 cards to each tableau pile (the number of tableau piles is typically 7, but some sources suggest 8; the most consistent rule for Munger is 7 tableau piles).
  • Cards are dealt alternately face up and face down to each pile. For example, the first card is face up, the second face down, and so on, so each pile ends with a face-up card on top.
• Stock: Place the remaining cards face down as the stock pile (usually at the top left).
• Foundations: There are 4 foundation piles (one for each suit), which start empty.
• Waste: Cards drawn from the stock that cannot be played immediately are placed face up in a waste pile.

Summary of play areas:

• Tableau: 7 piles, each with 4 cards (alternately face up/down).
• Stock: Remaining undealt cards, face down.
• Foundations: 4 piles, one per suit, built from Ace to King.
• Waste: Discard pile for unplayable stock cards.

Munger Solitaire Rules:

• Building on the Tableau: Cards are built down in alternating colors (e.g., red on black, black on red), and in descending rank (e.g., 7 on 8).
• Moving Cards: Only the top face-up card of each tableau pile may be moved. Sequences of properly ordered cards (alternating colors, descending rank) can be moved as a unit.
• Foundations: Cards are built up in suit from Ace to King (e.g., Ace, 2, 3, …, King of Hearts).
• Stock Play: Turn over 1 card at a time from the stock to the waste pile. Only the top card of the waste pile is available for play to the tableau or foundations.
• Tableau Replenishment: When a face-down card is exposed (becomes the top card of a tableau pile), immediately turn it face up.
• Empty Spaces: Only a King (or a valid sequence starting with a King) may be moved into an empty tableau space.

Gameplay:

• On each turn, the player may:
  • Move a face-up card or a valid descending, alternating-color sequence from one tableau pile to another.
  • Move an Ace or the next card in sequence to a foundation pile.
  • Draw one card from the stock to the waste pile and play it if possible.
• If a face-down card is uncovered on the tableau, flip it face up immediately.
• Only the top card of the waste pile is available for play.
• If a tableau pile becomes empty, only a King or a sequence starting with a King may fill the space.
• The stock is dealt through only once; there is no redeal in Munger Solitaire.
• Play continues until no more legal moves are possible or all cards are moved to the foundations.

Winning & Losing Conditions:

• Win: The game is won when all 52 cards are successfully moved onto the foundation piles in ascending order by suit.
• Lose: The game is lost if all possible moves are exhausted and not all cards have been built onto the foundations. Since only one pass through the stock is allowed, running out of stock cards without completing the foundations results in a loss.

Special Rules & Edge Cases:

• Filling Empty Tableau Spaces: Only Kings (or valid sequences starting with a King) may be placed into empty tableau piles.
• Stock Restrictions: Only one pass through the stock is permitted; once the stock is depleted, you cannot reshuffle or redeal the waste pile.
• Sequence Movement: You may move sequences of cards within the tableau as long as they maintain the alternating color and descending rank rule.
• No Reserve or Cells: Unlike some solitaire variants, Munger Solitaire does not use reserve piles or free cells.
• No Redeal: The inability to redeal the stock is a defining feature and increases the game's difficulty compared to standard Klondike.

Note: Munger Solitaire is a variant closely related to Klondike, but with a stricter stock rule (only one pass) and a distinctive tableau setup (alternating face up/down). Always consult the specific ruleset provided by your game or app, as minor variations may exist.