Roman

Game Objective:

The primary goal in Roman Solitaire is to remove all cards from the tableau by pairing cards whose values sum to exactly ten, ultimately clearing the pyramid structure to reach and remove the single card at the peak.

Setup & Layout:

• Deck: Use a standard 52-card deck.
• Pyramid Tableau: Deal cards face-up in a pyramid shape:
• 1 card at the top row (the peak)
• 2 cards in the second row
• 3 cards in the third row
• 4 cards in the fourth row
• 5 cards in the fifth row
• 6 cards in the sixth (bottom) row
• Stock Pile: Place the remaining cards face-down to form the stock.
• Waste Pile: As cards are drawn from the stock, they are turned face-up to form the waste pile.
• Key Play Areas:
• Pyramid: The main tableau, arranged as described above. All cards are dealt face-up, but only cards not covered by others are available for play.
• Stock: The draw pile for additional cards.
• Waste: A face-up pile for cards drawn from the stock.

Roman Solitaire Rules:

• Card Removal: Only cards that are completely uncovered (not overlapped by any other card in the pyramid) are available for removal.
• Pairing: Remove cards in pairs that sum to exactly ten. Valid pairs are:
• 1 (Ace) + 9
• 2 + 8
• 3 + 7
• 4 + 6
• 5 + 5
• Face Cards:
• Kings: Remove singly, as they count as ten.
• Jacks (Fante): Value as eight; must be paired with a two.
• Queens: Value as nine; must be paired with an ace.
• Other face cards: Assign values as per regional deck conventions if not using a standard deck.
• Free Cards: Only cards that are not overlapped by any other card are considered "free" and may be paired or removed. Both cards in a pair must be free at the start of the turn.
• Stock Play: When no moves are available in the pyramid, draw cards one at a time from the stock to the waste pile. The top card of the waste is available for pairing with any free pyramid card.

Gameplay:

• Turn Sequence:
• Identify all free cards in the pyramid (those not overlapped).
• Remove any valid pairs of free cards whose values sum to ten.
• Remove any single kings as they appear.
• If no moves are available, draw the top card from the stock and place it face-up on the waste pile.
• The top card of the waste pile can be paired with any free pyramid card that sums to ten.
• Continue removing pairs and drawing from the stock until no more moves are possible or the pyramid is cleared.
• No Moves: If no valid pairings are available and the stock is exhausted, the game ends.

Winning & Losing Conditions:

• Win: The game is won when all cards from the pyramid are removed, including the single card at the peak.
• Lose: The game is lost if no more valid moves can be made (no pairs summing to ten and no cards left in the stock), with cards remaining in the pyramid.

Special Rules & Edge Cases:

• Filling Empty Spaces: There are no empty spaces to fill in the pyramid; once a card is removed, the cards beneath become available if they are no longer covered.
• Pairing Restrictions: Both cards in a pair must be free at the start of the turn; you cannot remove a card to free another and immediately pair it in the same turn.
• Stock Exhaustion: Once the stock is depleted, no further cards can be drawn; only the remaining waste pile card (if any) may be paired.
• Duplicate Values: If multiple cards of the same value are free, strategic choice may be necessary to avoid blocking future moves.

Note: Roman Solitaire is distinct from Klondike and other solitaire variants; its unique pyramid structure and sum-to-ten pairing rule are its defining mechanics. All rules above are based on the most authoritative available explanations of the game’s play.