Pitchfork

Game Objective:

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

Setup & Layout:

• Deck: Use a standard 52-card deck.
• Initial Deal:
• 1st, 2nd, 8th, and 9th piles: Deal 8 cards face up to each.
• 3rd and 7th piles: Deal 4 cards face up to each.
• 4th, 5th, and 6th piles: Deal 2 cards face up to each.
• Play Areas:
• Tableau: Consists of 9 piles arranged as described above, all cards dealt face up.
• Foundations: Four piles, initially empty, where cards are built up by suit from Ace to King.
• Stock: Remaining cards after the initial deal form the stock, placed face down.
• Waste: As cards are drawn from the stock and cannot be played, they are placed face up in the waste pile.
• Face Orientation: All tableau cards are dealt face up; stock is face down.

Pitchfork Solitaire Rules:

• Building on Tableau:
• Cards are built down in rank (e.g., 7 on 8) and by alternating color (red on black or black on red).
• Only the top card of each tableau pile is available for play.
• Sequences of cards in correct order and color alternation can be moved together as a unit.
• Moving Cards:
• Cards (or valid sequences) may be moved between tableau piles following the building rules.
• Only a King (or a sequence starting with a King) may be placed into an empty tableau pile.
• Foundations:
• Foundations are built up in suit from Ace to King (e.g., Ace, 2, 3, …, King of Hearts).
• Only the next higher card of the same suit can be placed on a foundation pile.
• Stock and Waste:
• Cards are drawn from the stock one at a time and can be played to either the tableau or the foundations.
• If a drawn card cannot be played, it is placed face up on the waste pile.
• Only the top card of the waste pile is available for play.

Gameplay:

• On each turn, the player may:
• Move cards or valid sequences between tableau piles according to building rules.
• Move eligible cards to the foundation piles.
• Draw the top card from the stock and play it to the tableau or foundation if possible; otherwise, place it on the waste pile.
• Play the top card from the waste pile to the tableau or foundation if possible.
• When the stock is depleted, the waste pile may be turned over to form a new stock (usually without shuffling), depending on house rules or variant.
• If no moves are available and the stock is exhausted, the game ends.

Winning & Losing Conditions:

• Winning: The game is won when all 52 cards are moved to the foundation piles, each built up in suit from Ace to King.
• Losing/Unwinnable: The game is lost or unwinnable if no further legal moves can be made and not all cards have been moved to the foundations.

Special Rules & Edge Cases:

• Filling Empty Tableau Piles: Only a King or a valid descending sequence starting with a King may be placed into an empty tableau pile.
• Multiple Redeals: Depending on the variant, the waste pile may be turned over to form a new stock after the original stock is exhausted. Some versions allow unlimited redeals, while others limit the number.
• All Cards Face Up: Unlike many solitaire variants, all tableau cards are dealt face up at the start, increasing visibility and strategic planning.
• No Building on Foundations Out of Sequence: Cards must be placed on the foundations strictly in ascending order and by suit.
• No Partial Sequence Moves: Only sequences that are in perfect descending order and alternate colors may be moved; partial sequences or those breaking the alternation rule cannot be moved as a unit.

Note: The rules above are based on the most authoritative available source for Pitchfork Solitaire. If you encounter a variant with different tableau pile distributions or redeal rules, consult the specific rule set for that version.