Pyramid

Game Objective:

The primary goal in Pyramid Solitaire is to remove all cards from the pyramid and the stock by pairing exposed cards whose values sum to 13. Kings, valued at 13, are discarded singly, while other cards must be paired appropriately (e.g., a 6 and a 7).

Setup & Layout:

• Deck: Use a standard 52-card deck.
• Pyramid Construction: Deal 28 cards face-up in a pyramid shape:
• 1 card at the top row.
• 2 cards in the second row, partially overlapping the first.
• Continue downward, increasing each row by one card, until the seventh row contains 7 cards.
• Stock Pile: Place the remaining 24 cards face-down beside the pyramid; this is the stock.
• Waste/Talon: As cards are drawn from the stock, they may be placed face-up in a waste pile (also called a talon), which is used for further pairing.
• Play Areas Defined:
• Pyramid/Tableau: The main area with 28 face-up cards arranged in a pyramid.
• Stock: The face-down pile for drawing additional cards.
• Waste/Talon: Face-up pile for unused drawn cards from the stock.
• Discard/Foundation: Area for removed pairs or single Kings (optional, may simply remove from play).
• Card Visibility: All cards in the pyramid are dealt face-up. The stock is face-down; cards drawn from it are turned face-up.

Pyramid Solitaire Rules:

• Card Values:
• Ace = 1
• Jack = 11
• Queen = 12
• King = 13
• Pairing Principle: Only exposed cards (not overlapped by others) in the pyramid, the top card of the stock, and the top card of the waste pile are available for pairing.
• Removal:
• Remove pairs of exposed cards whose values sum to 13 (e.g., 8 + 5, Ace + Queen).
• Kings are removed singly, as their value is 13.
• Stock and Waste:
• Draw cards from the stock one at a time; the drawn card is available for pairing with exposed pyramid cards or the top card of the waste pile.
• If a drawn card cannot be paired, place it face-up on the waste pile.
• The top card of the waste pile can be paired with exposed pyramid cards or the next card drawn from the stock.
• Sequence Building: There is no building by suit, color, or rank; only pairing for a total of 13 is permitted.
• Movement Restrictions: Only exposed cards can be used; covered cards cannot be moved or paired until uncovered.

Gameplay:

• Turn Sequence:
• Identify all exposed cards in the pyramid.
• Pair exposed cards (or a King singly) and remove them from play.
• If no pairs are available, draw a card from the stock pile and attempt to pair it with any exposed pyramid card or the top card of the waste pile.
• If the drawn card cannot be paired, place it face-up on the waste pile.
• Continue pairing and removing cards, drawing from the stock as needed.
• Introducing New Cards: Only one card from the stock can be drawn and exposed at a time.
• No More Legal Moves: If all possible pairs are exhausted and the stock is depleted, the game ends.

Winning & Losing Conditions:

• Winning: Successfully remove all cards from the pyramid and the stock by pairing to 13.
• Losing: The game is lost if:
• The pyramid is not fully cleared when the stock is exhausted and no more legal pairs can be made.
• Any remaining cards in the pyramid or stock cannot be paired to sum 13.

Special Rules & Edge Cases:

• Empty Spaces: There are no refill mechanics for empty spaces in the pyramid; once a card is removed, the space remains empty.
• Stock/Waste Cycling: Standard rules do not permit redealing the waste pile back into the stock. Some variants allow limited redeals (e.g., Par Pyramid allows two redeals).
• Card Removal Restrictions: Only exposed cards (uncovered) are eligible for pairing and removal. Covered cards must wait until they are fully exposed.
• Scoring (Optional): Some versions score based on the number of cards remaining in the pyramid; a perfect score is zero.
• Variants: Some versions may adjust the number of pyramid rows or allow different redeal rules, but the pairing-to-13 principle remains consistent.

Key Terms Defined:

• Exposed Card: A card in the pyramid not covered by any other card, making it eligible for pairing and removal.
• Stock: The face-down pile of undealt cards used to introduce new cards into play.
• Waste/Talon: The face-up pile for unused drawn cards from the stock, available for pairing.
• Foundation/Discard: Area where removed cards are placed (often simply removed from play).