Lady Cadogan's Illustrated Games of Solitaire or Patience Part 7

III. When cards are placed in sequence in the "Const.i.tution," the top card only of each sequence is available until its removal releases the one beneath.

IV. All sequences must be of alternate colors and in descending line--_i.e._, a red nine on a black ten, then a black eight, a red seven, and so on. Any number of cards may be so placed.

V. Each vacancy must be _at once_ filled by a card from the division immediately below it; and as this rule applies equally to all the rows, a vacancy will thus be caused in the lowest row or "People,"

which must be filled from the talon, or, when there is no talon, from the pack.

VI. The foundations must follow suit.

PLAY

Take from the pack the kings, queens, and aces--seven of the queens are to be thrown aside and the other cards placed as in tableau.

The queen of diamonds represents THE SOVEREIGN; the black kings, the Bishops; the red kings, the Judges.

The eight aces form the foundation cards or "Government," and ascend in sequence to knaves.

Deal out four horizontal rows (beginning with the lowest), each containing eight cards.

This forms the "Const.i.tution." Each row represents a separate division.

The first (or lowest row) is the "People"; the second, the "House of Commons"; the third, the "House of Lords"; the last the "Privy Council."

When the tableau is complete, if any suitable cards are to be found in the "Privy Council" row, play them (Rule I), immediately refilling each vacancy as it is made (Rule V).

You must then examine the Const.i.tution to see which cards may be most advantageously placed in sequence (Rules II and IV).

_Note._--The success of this game depends chiefly on the play. In filling a vacancy choose the card (Rule V) which has the most chance of reaching the top, or of being useful to cards in the row below it. It is often better to defer making a vacancy till a card turns up in dealing that is required.

When you have played all available cards and placed in sequence all that you wish, deal out the remainder of the pack, the cards not required to fill vacancies in the "People" forming the talon.

[Ill.u.s.tration: THE ZODIAC.]

THE ZODIAC

Two Entire Packs of Cards

RULES

I. Marriages may be made in the Zodiac with cards from the Equator (but not _vice versa_) and from the talon or pack, but cards in the Zodiac cannot marry each other, neither can those in the Equator do so. Marriages may be made in ascending and descending lines, and the same packet may contain both.

II. The foundations must follow suit.

PLAY

Deal eight cards in a horizontal row called the "Equator." Then deal a surrounding circle of twenty-four cards called the "Zodiac."

The foundations are not formed _till the end of the game_. They are to consist of the four aces and four kings of different suits, the aces ascending in sequence to kings, the kings descending in sequence to aces.

Having placed the tableau, you proceed to marry (Rule I) and to refill the s.p.a.ces from the talon, or, where there is no talon, from the pack, but you are not obliged to do either until a favorable opportunity occurs. You continue to deal out the cards in the usual way, those not required for marrying or for refilling s.p.a.ces forming the talon. This is to be re-dealt as often as required--that is, until all the cards are placed either in the Zodiac or in the Equator. If this cannot be done, the patience has already failed. If you succeed in placing all the cards, you then begin to form the eight foundations from the Zodiac and Equator (Rule II).

It is obvious that the greatest care is required in marrying the cards, or you will so block them as to be unable to form the foundations.

[Ill.u.s.tration: THE KINGS.]

THE KINGS

Two Entire Packs of Cards

RULES

I. The foundations do not follow suit, neither do the cards placed in sequence on the columns.

II. Only the _outside cards of each group of columns_ are available until, by their removal, the next ones are released, the principle being that no card is available _that has another outside it_.

_Note._--By "outside" is meant the cards on the right side of the right-hand group, and those on the left side of the left-hand group.

III. _During the deal_ no card is available for playing on the foundations unless it is on the _same horizontal line as the foundation_ (of either group) _for which it is suitable_. When the entire deal is complete, this restriction ceases.

PLAY

Withdraw from the packs the eight aces, and place them in two columns, taking care that each suit is in juxtaposition as in tableau.

The eight aces form the foundations, which ascend in sequence (Rule I) to kings. On either side of the foundations, deal out a column of four cards, and if in dealing these a suitable card turns up, available for a foundation, _in accordance with Rule III_, play it at once; replacing it with the next card from the pack. You continue to deal out successive columns of four cards, alternately on the right and left of the first ones, until the pack is exhausted, thus forming two groups of columns, with the eight aces in the centre. To avoid confusion, it is best to deal the columns regularly, first on the left, and then on the right, side.

In dealing, never omit to play suitable cards as they turn up, subject to Rule III, for as each column is placed it blocks the preceding one (Rule II), and _during the deal_ you may not play cards from the inner columns, even if released.

When the pack is exhausted, you examine the tableau, and may now play any available cards (Rule II), the restriction as to their being on the same horizontal line having ceased. Sequences (Rule I), both ascending and descending, may now be formed with cards on the outside of both groups (Rule II), and these sequences may be reversed, as they are required to play on the foundations, by transferring them from one packet to another. If an entire horizontal row of cards has been removed, you may place any available card at the inner end of the lane so formed, and sequences may be placed upon it, as on the others.

There is no re-deal.

_Note._--It is not perfectly clear from the original whether the restriction mentioned in Rule III ceases when the deal is complete, but, the game being a very difficult one, it is advisable to interpret it in the affirmative.