Quadruple Klondike

Game Objective:

The primary goal in Quadruple Klondike Solitaire is to move all 208 cards (from four standard 52-card decks) to the sixteen foundation piles, building each foundation up by suit from Ace to King.

Setup & Layout:

• Deck: Four standard 52-card decks are used, totaling 208 cards.
• Foundations: There are sixteen foundation piles, one for each suit per deck. All foundations start empty.
• Tableau: Sixteen tableau piles are used. Each tableau pile is initially dealt cards (the exact number per pile may follow a balanced distribution; official implementations generally deal an even number to each, often one face-up card per pile).
• Stock: The remaining cards after the tableau is dealt form the stock pile, placed face-down.
• Waste: There is one waste pile, which receives cards dealt from the stock.

Card Orientation:

• All cards in the tableau are dealt face-up.
• The stock pile is face-down.
• The top card of the waste pile is face-up and available for play.

Key Play Areas Defined:

• Tableau: The main area where cards are arranged in columns and manipulated.
• Foundations: The target piles where cards are built up by suit from Ace to King.
• Stock: The draw pile for additional cards.
• Waste: The discard pile for cards drawn from the stock.

Quadruple Klondike Solitaire Rules:

• Foundations:

• Only Aces may be moved to empty foundation piles.

• Foundations are built up by suit in ascending order (Ace, 2, 3, …, King).

• Only the top card of each foundation is available for play.

• Tableau:

• Tableaus are built down by alternating color (red on black or black on red).

• Any card or group of cards may be moved together, regardless of sequence order, but only Kings may be moved to empty tableau spaces.

• Sequences do not need to be in order to be moved as a group; any stack can be moved together.

• Stock and Waste:

• When the stock is tapped, three cards are dealt face-up to the waste pile.

• There is no limit to the number of times the stock can be recycled (unlimited passes).

• Only the top card of the waste pile is available for play.

Gameplay:

• Players move cards among the tableau, foundations, and waste according to the building rules.
• Cards are moved from the tableau or waste to the foundations when possible (must be the next in sequence and of the same suit).
• Cards in the tableau are arranged in descending order, alternating colors.
• Any card or stack of cards can be moved between tableau columns, regardless of the sequence, but only Kings may be placed in empty tableau spaces.
• When no moves are available on the tableau or foundations, the player may deal three cards from the stock to the waste pile.
• The top card of the waste is always available for play to either the tableau or the foundations.
• The stock can be recycled an unlimited number of times; when exhausted, the waste is turned over to reform the stock.

Winning & Losing Conditions:

• Win: The game is won when all 208 cards are successfully moved to the sixteen foundations, each built up by suit from Ace to King.
• Loss/Unwinnable: The game is lost or becomes unwinnable if no further legal moves are possible and the player cannot progress cards to the foundations, even after recycling the stock an unlimited number of times.

Special Rules & Edge Cases:

• Empty Tableau Spaces: Only Kings (or stacks with a King at the bottom) may be moved to empty tableau piles.
• Moving Stacks: Any group of cards may be moved together as a stack between tableau columns, regardless of the sequence order within the stack. This is a significant difference from classic Klondike, where only ordered sequences may be moved as a group.
• Stock Recycling: There is no restriction on the number of times the stock can be recycled; the player may pass through the stock pile as many times as needed.
• Waste Pile: Only the top card of the waste pile is available for play at any time.
• Foundation Access: Only the top card of each foundation is available for building further.

Note: The rules for moving stacks and the number of tableau piles (sixteen) are unique features of Quadruple Klondike and distinguish it from Double Klondike or standard Klondike variants.

Definitions:

• Tableau: The main area with columns where cards are manipulated.
• Foundation: The target piles built up by suit from Ace to King.
• Stock: The draw pile for additional cards.
• Waste: The discard pile for cards drawn from the stock.

All gameplay actions must adhere strictly to the above rules for a valid game of Quadruple Klondike Solitaire.