The Great Thirteen (Double Deck Solitaire Game)

Two Entire Packs Of Cards.

Rules

1. The uppermost card of each of the ground packets is alone available until its removal releases the card beneath.
2. If in the development of the game a card is released in the ground packets which is equally suitable for filling a vacancy in the numerals (caused by the ground packets having failed to produce the desired sum), or for the process of addition, the preference must be given to filling the vacancy.
3. In dealing the ground packets in the first instance it is advisable to count them in order from one to eight, in order to verify their exact position; for in re-dealing the ground packets at the end of the game they must be counted from one to eight, and the cards must be dealt on to them in order, whether there are cards in each space or whether there is a vacancy, through the packet having been played off. The packet of cards or the vacancy are to be treated in like manner.

Play

This is a very difficult game and requires much attention. Among other peculiarities it has no foundation cards.

Deal out eight packets in a horizontal line, each containing thirteen cards dealt together: these are called ground packets. Deal them from left to right (Rule 3). If in this first deal any kings appear on the surface, slip them underneath the packets to which each belongs; but this may only be done in the first deal. When the eight ground packets have been dealt, take the uppermost card of each, and place these eight cards in a line above: this line is called the balcony. Between the balcony and the ground packets be careful to leave space for the line of numerals (see tableau). You now count the value of each card in the balcony, and double it, the knave counting eleven, the queen twelve, and the king thirteen, with which card, if the game succeeds, each of the numeral packets will terminate. If any card on the ground packets (Rule 1) corresponds to the doubled value of any card on the balcony, you place that (ground-packet) card immediately below the balcony card, thus beginning the packets called numerals.

Example (see tableau).—On the blank cards, the numeral 6 is placed under a three, the 4 under a two; but if in doubling, the value of any balcony card exceeds thirteen, the excess over thirteen constitutes the value of the card to be placed underneath.

Example.—An ace (numerals) is placed under a seven, the double of seven being fourteen, which is one in excess of thirteen. A knave (Bube) is placed under a queen; the double of twelve being twenty-four, which is eleven in excess of thirteen. A three under an eight; the double of eight being sixteen, which is three in excess of thirteen.

If the ground packets fail to produce suitable cards for numerals according to the calculations just named, vacant spaces must of necessity remain in the line of numerals, which will be filled as the game develops (Rule 2).

When all suitable cards have been transferred from the ground packets to the numerals, the next process is that of addition. The value of each card on the numeral line must beadded to that of the card on the balcony immediately above it, and you must again transfer from the ground packets to the numeral line any cards whose value corresponds with the addition thus made, it being understood that any card taken from the ground packet must always be placed on the numeral which is exactly underneath the balcony card to whose value it is added.
Thus, in continuing the game by addition, on the numeral ace would be placed an eight, on the Bube (knave) would be placed a ten; because in the former case one and seven make eight, in the latter, eleven (knave) and twelve (queen) make twentythree, which is ten in excess of thirteen.

If in this stage of the game cards are released in the ground packets suitable either for filling vacancies or for continuing the packets of addition in the numeral line, the refilling of the vacancies must be the first object (Rule 2). When two or more cards of the ground packets are equally suitable, select which you please (Rule 1), and you may examine the underneath cards to assist you in your choice.

When further progress is impossible, the third and last process is as follows: Take up the first of the ground packets counting from the left (Rule 3). If No. 1 has been played off, you take No. 2, and so on. Turn the packet face downward, and deal the cards on to the other ground packets face upward, beginning with the packet next on your right (if you are dealing No. 1, begin to deal on No. 2), and in doing this follow very accurately the method prescribed by Rule 3. After you have dealt as far as No. 8, begin again at No. 1, and continue dealing (Rule 3) till the packet you hold is exhausted. You then take up the next packet, and deal it out in the same manner, beginning on your right (if you are dealing No. 3, deal the first card on No. 4), and continue to deal out each packet till all are exhausted, pausing between each deal to examine the packets and to make further combinations, and placing on the numerals any suitable cards that may have been produced by the fresh deal, but the re-deal of each ground packet must be complete before placing cards on the numerals.

If after re-dealing all the ground packets, the packets of numerals do not all end with kings (thirteen), the game has failed.

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