Tripleharp

Game Objective:

The primary goal in Tripleharp Solitaire is to move all 156 cards (using three standard 52-card decks) to the twelve foundation piles by building each foundation up in suit from Ace to King.

Setup & Layout:

• Deck: Three standard 52-card decks (total 156 cards).
• Tableau: Twelve tableau piles.
• 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 12, which has 12 cards (top card face-up, rest face-down).
• Foundations: Twelve piles, all start empty. Each foundation will be built up by suit from Ace to King.
• Stock: Remaining undealt cards after the tableau setup, placed face-down.
• Waste: One pile, starts empty. Cards from the stock are dealt here face-up.

Key Play Areas:

• Tableau: The main play area where cards are arranged in descending order and alternating colors.
• Foundations: The target area where cards are built up by suit.
• Stock: The draw pile for additional cards during play.
• Waste: Receives cards from the stock; only the top card is available for play.

Tripleharp Solitaire Rules:

• Foundations:

• Build up by suit, starting with Ace and ending with King (e.g., Ace♠, 2♠, 3♠, …, King♠).

• Only Aces may be moved to empty foundation piles.

• Only the top card of each foundation pile is available for play.

• Tableau:

• Build down in alternating colors (e.g., red 9 on black 10, black 8 on red 9).

• Only the top card of each tableau pile is available for play.

• Only Kings may be moved to empty tableau spaces. No other card or sequence may fill an empty tableau except a King.

• Sequences can only be moved if headed by a King and placed into an empty tableau pile.

• All other moves in the tableau are restricted to single cards.

• Stock & Waste:

• When the stock is tapped, three cards are dealt face-up to the waste pile.

• There is no limit to the number of times you may redeal the waste back into the stock.

• Only the top card of the waste pile is available for play to the tableau or foundations.

Gameplay:

1. Move eligible cards: Begin by moving any available Aces to the foundations.
2. Build on tableau: Move cards within the tableau, building down by alternating colors. Only the top card of each pile may be moved, except for King-headed sequences into empty tableau piles.
3. Fill empty tableau: Only Kings or King-led sequences may fill empty tableau spaces.
4. Use the stock: When no more moves are possible in the tableau, deal three cards from the stock to the waste pile. Play the top waste card to the tableau or foundations if possible.
5. Redeal: When the stock is exhausted, turn the waste pile over to form a new stock. There is no restriction on the number of redeals.
6. Continue play: Repeat the above steps, always seeking to build up the foundations and uncover face-down cards in the tableau.

If no legal moves remain and the stock is exhausted, the game ends.

Winning & Losing Conditions:

• Win: The game is won when all 156 cards are moved to the twelve foundation piles, each built up in suit from Ace to King.
• Lose: The game is lost (unwinnable) if no further legal moves are possible and not all cards are in the foundations.

Special Rules & Edge Cases:

• Empty Tableau Spaces: Only a King or a sequence starting with a King may be moved into an empty tableau pile.
• Moving Sequences: Only single cards may be moved within the tableau, except that a properly ordered descending sequence headed by a King may be moved into an empty tableau space.
• Redeals: There is no limit to redealing the waste pile back into the stock, making careful management of the tableau crucial for success.
• Odds of Winning: The game is considered very challenging, with an estimated win rate of about 10%.

Note: All tableau piles must be built down in alternating colors, and all foundation piles must be built up by suit. Only the top card of each tableau or waste pile is available for play at any time.

This guide provides a precise, comprehensive overview of the unique rules and gameplay mechanics for Tripleharp Solitaire.