Strata

Game Objective:

The primary goal in Strata Solitaire is to move all cards from the tableau and stock into the foundation piles, building each foundation in ascending order by suit from Ace through King.

Setup & Layout:

• Deck Used: Standard 52-card deck.
• Tableau: Seven piles arranged left to right.
  • Pile 1: 1 card (face up)
  • Pile 2: 2 cards (top card face up, rest face down)
  • Pile 3: 3 cards (top card face up, rest face down)
  • Continue this pattern up to Pile 7, which has 7 cards (top card face up, rest face down).
• Stock: Remaining cards after tableau setup, placed face down in a single stack above the tableau.
• Waste: Cards from the stock that cannot be played are placed face up in a separate pile (waste).
• Foundations: Four empty piles, one for each suit, to be built from Ace to King.

Strata Solitaire Rules:

• Card Movement Principles:
  • Only face-up cards are eligible for movement.
  • Cards may be moved between tableau piles, from tableau to foundation, or from waste/stock to tableau/foundation.
• Building Sequences:
  • In the tableau, build cards in descending order, alternating colors (e.g., red 8 on black 9).
  • Foundations are built in ascending order by suit (Ace, 2, 3, …, King).
• Moving Cards:
  • A single card or a properly ordered sequence (descending, alternating colors) may be moved between tableau piles.
  • Only the top card of the waste pile or tableau piles can be played unless moving a sequence.
  • Aces uncovered in the tableau or drawn from stock should be placed in the foundations immediately.

Gameplay:

• Player Actions:
  • Move eligible cards within the tableau, to the foundations, or from the waste pile.
  • Flip face-down cards in the tableau when the card above is moved, making them available for play.
  • Draw cards from the stock pile:
    • Typically, draw three cards at a time and place them face up in the waste pile; only the top card is playable.
    • If stock is exhausted, turn the waste pile over to form a new stock and continue.
• Introducing New Cards:
  • Cards are introduced into play by drawing from the stock pile, then attempting to play them to the tableau or foundations.
• No Legal Moves:
  • If no moves are possible, draw from the stock.
  • If the stock and waste are exhausted and no tableau moves remain, the game is lost.

Winning & Losing Conditions:

• Winning Condition: All cards are successfully moved to the foundation piles in correct ascending order by suit (Ace to King).
• Losing Condition: The game is unwinnable if no legal moves remain and the stock/waste cannot be replenished or played.

Special Rules & Edge Cases:

• Empty Tableau Spaces:
  • Only a King (or a sequence starting with a King) can fill an empty tableau pile.
• Sequence Movement:
  • A group of cards in correct descending order and alternating colors can be moved together between tableau piles.
• Stock/Waste Cycling:
  • When the stock pile is depleted, the waste pile is turned over to create a new stock. This process can be repeated as allowed by house rules or specific variant restrictions.
• Restrictions:
  • Only the top card of the waste pile is playable at any time.
  • Only face-up cards in the tableau are eligible for movement; face-down cards must be uncovered before use.

Definitions:

• Tableau: The main play area consisting of seven piles where cards are built in descending order and alternating colors.
• Foundation: Four piles, one for each suit, built in ascending order from Ace to King.
• Stock: The face-down pile from which cards are drawn.
• Waste: The pile where unplayable cards from the stock are placed face up.

This guide synthesizes the rules and mechanics for Strata Solitaire based on established solitaire conventions and authoritative sources. If Strata Solitaire includes unique rule variations beyond standard Klondike Solitaire, consult the official rulebook or publisher documentation for those specifics.