Old Carlton

Game Objective:

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

Setup & Layout:

• Deck: Old Carlton Solitaire uses two standard 52-card decks, totaling 104 cards.
• Tableau: There are eight tableau piles. The first pile receives one card, the second pile two cards, the third pile three cards, and so on, up to eight cards in the eighth pile. The top card of each tableau pile is dealt face-up; all other cards in each pile are dealt face-down.
• Foundations: Eight foundation piles are present, initially empty. These are built up by suit from Ace to King.
• Stock: The remaining cards after the tableau setup form the stock pile. The stock is used to deal new cards into play.
• Key Play Areas Defined:
  • Tableau: The main area where cards are arranged in descending order by alternating colors.
  • Foundations: Piles built up by suit from Ace to King.
  • Stock: The draw pile supplying new cards to the tableau.

Old Carlton Solitaire Rules:

• Foundation Building:

  • Foundations are built up by suit, starting with Ace and ending with King (e.g., 2♠ on Ace♠, 3♠ on 2♠, etc.).
  • Only an Ace can be placed on an empty foundation pile.
  • Cards cannot be removed from the foundation once placed.
  • Each foundation pile can hold up to 13 cards (Ace through King).

• Tableau Building:

  • Cards are built down in the tableau by alternating colors (e.g., a red Jack can be followed by a black 10).
  • Only the top face-up card of each tableau pile is available for play.
  • Sequences of cards built in proper descending alternating color order can be moved together as a group.
  • Any card or valid sequence can fill an empty tableau pile.

• Card Movement:

  • Cards or sequences can be moved between tableau piles if the move respects descending order and alternating color.
  • Cards can be moved from tableau to foundation if they are the next in ascending suit order.
  • Any face-up card in the tableau may be moved, along with all cards stacked above it, to another tableau pile where it fits.

Gameplay:

• Turn Sequence:

  • Players may move cards or sequences within the tableau and to the foundations according to the building rules.
  • When no moves are available or at any time, the player may deal one card from the stock to the top of each tableau pile by clicking the stock.
  • Only one pass through the stock is allowed; there are no redeals.
  • Play continues until all cards are moved to the foundations or no further moves are possible.

• Introducing New Cards:

  • Clicking the stock deals one card face-up to the top of each tableau pile.
  • Dealt cards are immediately available for play if they are the top card of their respective tableau piles.

• When No Legal Moves Remain:

  • If no moves are possible and the stock is exhausted, the game ends.
  • The player must use strategic moves and stock deals to avoid unwinnable positions.

Winning & Losing Conditions:

• Winning Condition:

  • The game is won when all 104 cards are successfully moved to the eight foundation piles, each built up in suit from Ace to King.

• Losing/Unwinnable Condition:

  • The game is lost or becomes unwinnable if no further moves can be made and the stock is depleted, with cards remaining in the tableau or stock that cannot be moved to the foundations.

Special Rules & Edge Cases:

• Filling Empty Tableau Piles:

  • Any card or valid sequence of cards may fill an empty tableau pile.
  • There are no restrictions on which card or sequence can occupy an empty tableau space.

• Sequence Movement:

  • Groups of cards built in descending order by alternating color can be moved together as a unit between tableau piles.

• Stock Dealing:

  • When the stock is clicked, one card is dealt to each tableau pile, regardless of whether the pile is empty or occupied.
  • There is only one pass through the stock; after all cards are dealt, no further stock deals are possible.

• No Foundation Removal:

  • Once a card is placed on a foundation, it cannot be moved back to the tableau or stock.

• Edge Cases:

  • If multiple tableau piles are empty, each may be filled independently by any card or sequence.
  • If the tableau is blocked (no legal moves), the player must rely on the next stock deal or may be forced into an unwinnable state.

Definitions:

• Tableau: The primary area where cards are arranged in descending order by alternating colors.
• Foundation: Piles built up by suit from Ace to King, the destination for all cards.
• Stock: The pile of undealt cards used to introduce new cards into play.

This guide provides a complete, semantically precise overview of the rules and gameplay mechanics for Old Carlton Solitaire.