Pyramid Solitaire is a captivating single-player card game with an interesting pyramid-shaped tableau. The objective is to remove all the cards from the pyramid while following specific rules.
Setup:
- Use a standard 52-card deck for Pyramid Solitaire.
- Shuffle the deck and deal a pyramid-shaped tableau consisting of 28 cards. The first row has one card, the second has two, and so on, until you have seven rows with seven cards in the bottom row.
- Place the remaining cards in a draw pile next to the pyramid tableau.
Objective:
- The goal is to remove all the cards from the pyramid by matching pairs of cards with a combined value of 13. A King has a value of 13 and can be removed on its own.
Round Play:
- You can remove two cards from the pyramid if their combined value is 13. For example, you can remove a 3 and a 10, a 7 and a 6, or a King on its own.
- You can remove a card that is not blocked by another card (i.e., free cards from the edges of the pyramid) without a matching pair.
- If you cannot make any more moves or pairings, you can draw cards from the draw pile (one at a time) to create new opportunities.
- If the draw pile is exhausted, you can turn over the discard pile (excluding the top card) and use it as the new draw pile.
Winning:
- The game is won when all the cards from the pyramid are successfully removed.
Losing:
- The game is lost if you cannot make any more moves, and there are remaining cards in the pyramid, draw pile, or discard pile.
Tips:
- Prioritize revealing and removing cards from the edges of the pyramid to open up more options.
- Kings can be removed on their own, so they're valuable in creating opportunities.
- Carefully plan your moves, especially in the upper rows of the pyramid.
- Keep an eye on the draw pile and the cards it contains. Use it wisely to reveal cards in the pyramid and create pairings.
Pyramid Solitaire is a game that requires a combination of strategy and observation. It's a unique and enjoyable variation of solitaire, with a focus on pairing cards to reach the goal of clearing the pyramid.