The Four Corners (Double Deck Solitaire Game)

Two Entire Packs or Cards

Rules

1. After the deal is completed, the uppermost card of each packet is available and may be placed on any of the foundations, the cards underneath being released as usual by the removal of those that covered them. II. Each foundation must follow suit.

Play

Deal out twelve cards as in tableau, beginning on the left. Place the top corner card, then the four side cards, lastly the lower corner card; repeat this process on the right hand, beginning with the top corner, and leaving space in the centre for the foundation cards. These will consist of four aces and four kings of different suits, the aces ascending in sequence to kings, and the kings descending in sequence to aces.

Having dealt the first round of twelve cards, proceed to deal out the entire pack in successive rounds covering the first one, but in dealing each several round the following method must be strictly observed:

The eight foundation cards, as they appear in the deal (whether they fall on the corner or on the side packets), are to be at once played in the space reserved for them, and on these may be played any suitable cards which in dealing fall on either of the four corner packets; but when a card (otherwise suitable) falls on either of the side packets, it may not be played unless the foundation to which it belongs happens to be the oneimmediately adjoining the side packet on which that card fell in dealing.

Note.—Whenever in dealing a card is withdrawn, to place on one of the foundations, the next card in the pack is placed in its stead.

After the entire deal is completed these restrictions cease, all suitable cards may now be played, subject to Rule I, and marriages, both in ascending and descending lines, may be made with cards on the surface of the twelve packets; great care must, however, be taken in making these marriages, lest in releasing one card you block another that is equally required. The contents of each packet should be carefully examined, and only those marriages made which release the greatest number of suitable cards.

Note.—The sequences thus made may be reversed if required, viz., if one of the packets contained a sequence, beginning with deuce and ascending to eight (this being, of course, the top card), and one of the other packets had at the top a nine of the same suit, the eight might be placed on the nine, the rest of the sequence following, till the deuce became the top (or available) card.

When all possible combinations have been made, and further progress is impossible, the twelve packets may be taken up in order, beginning on the left, re-dealt, and played exactly as before. If necessary, there may be two re-deals.

(From Lady Cadogan's illustrated games of solitaire or patience, by Adelaide Cadogan [1914].)