The Shah (Double Deck Solitaire Game)

Two Entire Packs Of Cards

Rules

1. During the deal cards in each circle of the star are available until another circle blocks them. After the deal is completed only cards in the third (or outer) circle are available until, as usual, their removal releases the inner circles.
2. Marriages are limited to cards in the third circle; cards in the inner circles, even when released, can only be played, but not married. III. The foundations must follow suit.

Play

Take from the pack the eight aces and the eight kings. Throw aside seven of the kings and place the remaining one in the centre, with the eight aces surrounding it in a circle.

The king is called The Shah, and remains alone. The aces are the foundation cards, and are to ascend in sequence to queens.

Next deal out a circle of eight cards, beginning at the top and continuing from left to right. If any of these are suitable, play them, rilling the spaces at once from the cards in your hand. Then deal out a second circle, blocking the first one (Rule I), and treat it in the same manner, then a third circle, which completes the rays of the star.

Note.—In the pattern tableau the third circle is omitted for want of space.
You should now examine the star, to see if there are any available cards which it would be advantageous to marry, or to play (Rules 1 and 2), but you are not obliged to do either until a favorable opportunity occurs. Marriages can only be made in descending line.

Note.—It is often better to wait until, in dealing, a card turns up likely to be soon required, and then, by playing or marrying, you make a vacant space in which to place it.

When you have played or married all the cards you wish, the spaces so made must be refilled from the talon or pack, beginning with the inner circles, and proceeding from left to right as before.

The remaining cards are dealt out in the usual way, those not required for the foundations, or for marrying, or for refilling spaces forming the talon.

When a lane, i. e., one entire ray of the star, is opened out, the place of the inner card may be filled by one card from the third circle. This is sometimes of great use, and is a kind of "grace," as this patience seldom succeeds. The other two spaces are refilled from the talon, and this must be done at once, as each ray must always be complete.

There is no re-deal.

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