Spike

Game Objective:

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

Setup & Layout:

• Deck: Spike Solitaire uses a standard 52-card deck.
• Tableau: Arrange seven tableau piles from left to right:
• The first pile has one card, the second has two, the third has three, and so on, up to seven cards in the seventh pile.
• Only the top card of each tableau pile is dealt face-up; all other cards in each pile are face-down.
• Foundations: Four empty foundation piles are placed above the tableau.
• Stock: The remaining cards form the stock pile, placed face-down.
• Waste: A waste pile is created as cards are drawn from the stock and cannot be played immediately.

Key Play Areas Defined:

• Tableau: The main play area where cards are arranged in descending order and alternating colors.
• Foundations: The goal area, where cards are built up in suit from Ace to King.
• Stock: The draw pile for additional cards.
• Waste: Temporary holding area for unplayable stock cards.

Spike Solitaire Rules:

• Foundations: Build up by suit from Ace to King (e.g., Ace, 2, 3, …, King, all in the same suit).
• Tableau Building: Build tableau piles down by alternating colors (e.g., red 7 on black 8).
• Card Movement:
• Only the top face-up card of each tableau pile is available for play.
• You may move a single card or a properly sequenced group of cards (in descending order and alternating colors) between tableau piles.
• Only Kings (or sequences starting with a King) may be moved to empty tableau spaces.
• Stock and Waste:
• Draw cards from the stock one at a time and place them on the waste pile.
• The top card of the waste pile is available for play to the tableau or foundations.
• Redeals: If the stock is exhausted, some versions allow you to turn over the waste pile to form a new stock; others do not. Check the specific implementation for redeal rules.

Gameplay:

• On each turn, perform any combination of the following actions:
• Move cards from the tableau or waste to the foundations if legal.
• Move cards within the tableau, following the descending order and alternating color rule.
• Draw a card from the stock to the waste if no other moves are available or desired.
• Continue making moves until no further legal moves are possible or all cards are moved to the foundations.

Dealing from Stock:

• Draw one card at a time from the stock to the waste pile.
• Only the top card of the waste pile is available for play.

No More Moves:

• If you cannot make any legal moves and the stock is exhausted (and redeals are not permitted), the game ends.

Winning & Losing Conditions:

• Winning: The game is won when all 52 cards are moved to the foundations, each built up in suit from Ace to King.
• Losing/Unwinnable: The game is lost or becomes unwinnable if no legal moves remain and the stock is exhausted (with no redeals allowed), or if no further progress can be made.

Special Rules & Edge Cases:

• Empty Tableau Spaces: Only a King or a correctly sequenced group of cards with a King at the front may be moved to an empty tableau pile.
• Redeals: Some versions permit turning the waste pile over to form a new stock when the stock is depleted; others do not. Confirm the rule in the specific version you are playing.
• Multiple Card Moves: You may move a sequence of cards as a unit within the tableau only if they are in correct descending order and alternating colors.
• No Suit Matching on Tableau: Building in the tableau is strictly by alternating colors, not by suit.
• Foundation Suit Matching: Foundations must be built strictly by suit, starting from Ace and ending with King.

If a rule is unclear or ambiguous, consult the specific implementation or digital version, as minor variations may exist.