Shuffle

Game Objective:

The primary goal in Shuffle Solitaire is to discard all cards from the deck by following specific matching and removal rules, ultimately leaving no cards remaining at the end of the game.

Setup & Layout:

• Use a standard 52-card deck with no Jokers.
• Initial Arrangement: Hold the entire shuffled deck face down in one hand.
• Play Area: There is only one play area—your hand—where you manipulate the cards. No tableau, foundation, stock, reserve, or cells are used in this variant.
• Dealing: Draw four cards from the back (bottom) of the deck and fan them out so that all four are visible, with their faces up.
• All cards in play are face up. Cards not yet drawn remain face down in the deck.

Shuffle Solitaire Rules:

• Card Removal Principles:
• If the first and fourth card (from left to right) are the same suit, discard the two middle cards (second and third).
• If the first and fourth card are the same rank (number or face card), discard all four cards.
• After discarding, if fewer than four cards remain visible, draw from the back of the deck to restore four face-up cards.
• If no discards are possible (the first and fourth card are neither the same suit nor the same rank), draw one additional card from the back and add it after the fourth card, then rearrange so that only the latest four cards are visible.
• Continue this process until the deck is exhausted or all cards are discarded.

Gameplay:

• Step-by-Step Sequence:

1. Draw four cards from the back of the deck and fan them out face up.
2. Check for discard conditions:
   • If the first and fourth card match in suit, discard the two middle cards.
   • If the first and fourth card match in rank, discard all four cards.
3. After any discard, ensure four cards are visible by drawing additional cards from the back as needed.
4. If no discard is possible, draw one card from the back and add it after the fourth card. Rearrange so the four most recent cards are visible.
5. Repeat this process until all cards are discarded or no more moves can be made.

• Introducing New Cards: New cards are always drawn from the back of the deck to maintain four visible cards.
• No More Legal Moves: If you reach the end of the deck and cannot make any further discards or draws to restore four visible cards, the game ends.

Winning & Losing Conditions:

• Win: You win if you successfully discard all cards from the deck.
• Lose: You lose if you reach the end of the deck and cannot make any further legal moves, with cards remaining in your hand.

Special Rules & Edge Cases:

• Filling Empty Spaces: There are no tableau spaces or piles to fill; the only requirement is to always have four visible cards if possible.
• Deck Exhaustion: If fewer than four cards remain and no further discards are possible, the game ends.
• Optional Rule: Some variants allow you to recycle previously drawn cards in their original sequence after the deck is exhausted, slightly increasing the odds of winning.
• Other Variations:
• If four consecutive cards are the same suit, all four may be discarded.
• If the last two cards are the same rank and the first and fourth are the same suit, remove the last three cards (only when there is an even number of cards and both conditions are met).

Note: Shuffle Solitaire is a highly luck-based game with very low odds of winning (approximately 1 in 140).