Suit Triangle

Game Objective:

The primary goal in Suit Triangle Solitaire is to eliminate every card from the tableau (the triangle arrangement), stockpile, and wastepiles by removing pairs of cards whose combined values total 13, ultimately moving all 52 cards to the discard pile.

Setup & Layout:

• Deck Used: Standard 52-card deck.
• Tableau (Triangle):
• Deal 7 cards for the top row.
• Deal 6 cards for the second row, overlapping the first.
• Continue with each row having one fewer card, forming a triangle with 7 rows (totaling 28 cards).
• All tableau cards are dealt face-up.
• Stockpile:
• The remaining 24 cards are placed in a single face-up pile next to the tableau.
• Wastepiles:
• Leave space for two wastepiles beside the stockpile; these will be populated during play.
• Discard Pile:
• Cards removed from play are placed in a separate discard pile.

Key Play Areas Defined:

• Tableau: The triangle of overlapping face-up cards.
• Stockpile: The undealt cards, face-up.
• Wastepiles: Two piles for cards drawn from the stockpile.
• Discard Pile: Where eliminated cards are placed.

Suit Triangle Solitaire Rules:

• Card Values: Ace = 1, Jack = 11, Queen = 12, King = 13. All other cards use their face value.
• Pairing for Removal: Only pairs of exposed cards that sum to 13 may be removed together. Kings (value 13) are removed singly without a pair.
• Exposed Cards: Only cards not covered by other cards (fully exposed) can be played.
• Suit Irrelevant: Suits do not affect pairing; only the sum matters.
• Stockpile Draw: Draw two cards at a time from the stockpile, placing one on each wastepile, both face-up.
• Wastepile Play: The top card of either wastepile can be paired with another wastepile card or with any exposed tableau card to sum 13.
• Movement Restrictions:
• Only the top cards of the stockpile and wastepiles are available for play.
• Cards cannot be moved back to the tableau, stockpile, or wastepiles.
• Cards in the discard pile cannot be reused.
• Stockpile Passes: Only one pass through the stockpile is permitted.

Gameplay:

• Turn Sequence:
• Identify and remove any available pairs of exposed cards from the tableau, wastepiles, or stockpile that sum to 13.
• Remove any exposed King immediately.
• If no moves are available, draw two cards from the stockpile and place them face-up onto each wastepile.
• Continue pairing and removing cards using the top cards of the wastepiles, stockpile, and exposed tableau cards.
• Introducing New Cards:
• New cards enter play only via the stockpile, dealt two at a time to the wastepiles.
• No Legal Moves:
• If no pairs can be formed and the stockpile is exhausted, the game ends.
• The top card of the wastepile can be paired with the top card of the stockpile or with any exposed tableau card, if their sum is 13.

Winning & Losing Conditions:

• Winning Condition: The game is won when all 52 cards are successfully removed from the tableau, stockpile, and wastepiles, and placed in the discard pile.
• Losing Condition: The game is lost (unwinnable state) if no more legal moves are possible and cards remain in the tableau, stockpile, or wastepiles after the stockpile has been exhausted.

Special Rules & Edge Cases:

• Filling Empty Spaces: There is no mechanism for filling empty tableau spaces; once a card is removed, the space remains empty.
• Restrictions:
• Only pairs (or single Kings) totaling exactly 13 can be removed.
• No three-card combinations are allowed, even if their sum is 13.
• Only fully exposed cards are eligible for pairing and removal.
• Only one pass through the stockpile is allowed; no reshuffling or redealing.
• Cards cannot be moved between wastepiles, the tableau, or stockpile except for pairing and removal.
• Edge Case: If both wastepiles are empty, draw two cards from the stockpile to refill them, if possible.

Note: Suit Triangle Solitaire is a variant of Pyramid Solitaire, with the defining feature being the triangle tableau and the use of two wastepiles for pairing. The rules above reflect the unique mechanics and restrictions of this variant.