The Square (Double Deck Solitaire Game)

Two entire packs of cards.

Rules

1. The foundations follow suit.
2. The four aces (foundation cards) ascend in sequence to kings. When each packet has ascended to king, a second king (same suit) is placed on the top, and another sequence on the same packet descends to ace, with which the four foundations terminate.

Play

Deal out sixteen cards, as in tableau. This is the " Square."

During the deal, the four aces of different suits must be placed in their allotted spaces as they appear. These are the foundations, which ascend in sequence to kings and descend again to aces (Rule 2).

When the square is complete, play from it any suitable cards, and marry both on the ascending and descending line with cards on the Square, immediately refilling spaces from pack and talon. Continue to deal out the whole pack, playing, first in ascending and then in descending sequence (Rule 2), marrying, and refilling spaces; the unsuitable cards forming the talon. The sequence on the Square can be reversed from one packet to another; thus if on one packet there were a sequence of which the top card was nine, and on another a sequence of which the top card was either an eight or a ten (of course of the same suit), either of these could be placed on the nine and the whole sequence reversed, but great care must be taken in reversing sequences, lest cards should hopelessly block each other. Much practice is required in order to avoid this danger.

If the game succeeds, the double series of sequences, which began with four aces, will likewise finish with four aces. There is no re-deal.

(From Solitaire and patience: seventy games to test the card player's skill and make a lonely hour pass quickly, by George Hapgood [1908].)