Triple Minerva

Game Objective:

The primary goal in Triple Minerva Solitaire is to move all cards from the tableau, reserve, and stock to the twelve foundation piles, building each foundation up in suit from Ace to King.

Setup & Layout:

• Deck: Three standard 52-card decks are used, totaling 156 cards.
• Tableau: Twelve tableau piles are created, each initially containing four cards.
  • The specific dealing order (face-up or face-down) is not explicitly stated in the primary source, but standard practice for Minerva variants is to deal all tableau cards face up for maximum visibility and strategic planning.
• Foundations: Twelve foundation piles, one for each suit from each deck, are placed above or beside the tableau. All start empty.
• Reserve: A single reserve pile is present, holding a stack of cards with only the top card available for play.
• Stock: The remaining undealt cards form the stock pile, which is placed face down.
• Waste: A single waste pile is used; cards from the stock are dealt here face up, with only the top card accessible.

Key Play Areas Defined:

• Tableau: Main play area where cards are built down in alternating colors.
• Foundations: Destination piles, built up by suit from Ace to King.
• Reserve: Auxiliary holding area; only the top card is playable.
• Stock: Draw pile for new cards, face down.
• Waste: Discard pile for cards drawn from the stock; only the top card is playable.

Triple Minerva Solitaire Rules:

1. Foundations

• Building: Foundations are built up by suit from Ace to King (e.g., Ace♠, 2♠, 3♠, …, King♠).
• Starting: Only an Ace may be moved to an empty foundation.
• Movement: Only cards that continue the ascending sequence in the same suit may be placed on each foundation.

2. Tableau

• Building: Tableau piles are built down by alternating colors (red on black, black on red).
• Movement:
  • Single cards or sequences built down in alternating colors may be moved together as a group.
  • Only a King may be moved to an empty tableau pile.
• Restrictions: No other card except a King may fill an empty tableau pile.

3. Reserve

• Only the top card of the reserve is available for play.
• The reserve functions as an auxiliary holding area; cards cannot be moved into the reserve, only out.

4. Stock and Waste

• The stock deals one card at a time face up onto the waste pile.
• Only the top card of the waste is available for play.
• Redeal: After the stock is exhausted, the entire waste pile may be turned over to form a new stock once (allowing for two complete passes through the stock in total).

Gameplay:

1. Initial Moves: Examine the tableau, reserve, and waste (if any) for possible moves to the foundations or for building sequences in the tableau.
2. Building on Tableau: Move cards or valid sequences between tableau piles, following the alternating color rule.
3. Moving to Foundations: Whenever possible, move cards to the foundations in ascending suit order, starting with Aces.
4. Using the Reserve: Play the top card of the reserve to either the tableau or the foundations, as permitted.
5. Dealing from Stock: When no more moves are available, deal one card from the stock to the waste pile.
6. Playing from Waste: Use the top card of the waste as with any other card—move it to the tableau, foundations, or onto a valid sequence.
7. Redeal: After the stock is depleted, turn the waste pile over to form a new stock once per game.
8. No More Moves: If no moves are possible and the stock and waste are both exhausted, gameplay ends.

Winning & Losing Conditions:

• Winning Condition: The game is won when all 156 cards have been moved to the twelve foundation piles, built up by suit from Ace to King.
• Losing/Unwinnable Condition: The game is lost or unwinnable if no legal moves remain and both the stock and waste piles are exhausted (i.e., after the single permitted redeal).

Special Rules & Edge Cases:

• Empty Tableau Piles: Only a King (or a valid descending sequence starting with a King) may be placed in an empty tableau pile.
• Moving Sequences: Sequences built down in alternating colors can be moved as a unit between tableau piles.
• Reserve Limitations: Cards may not be moved into the reserve; only the top card can be played out.
• Redeal Limitation: Only one redeal of the waste to the stock is permitted per game.
• No Filling of Reserve: Once the reserve is empty, it remains empty for the rest of the game.
• Stalemate: If all piles except the reserve are empty and only non-playable cards remain, the game is unwinnable.

Triple Minerva Solitaire is a challenging three-deck patience game with a low win rate, requiring both strategic planning and careful management of tableau sequences and the reserve.