The Plot is a

Patience (or forbearance) is the ability to endure difficult circumstances. Patience may involve perseverance in the face of delay; tolerance of provocation without responding in disrespect/anger; or forbearance when under strain, especially when faced ...

game which is played with two decks of

playing card A playing card is a piece of specially prepared card stock, heavy paper, thin cardboard, plastic-coated paper, cotton-paper blend, or thin plastic that is marked with distinguishing motifs. Often the front (face) and back of each card has a fi ...

s.The Plot Solitaire Rules
''Solitaire Central''. Accessed 14 October 2020

Rules

First, thirteen cards are

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, squared up, and turned face up. This pile makes up the

reserve Reserve or reserves may refer to: Places * Reserve, Kansas, a US city * Reserve, Louisiana, a census-designated place in St. John the Baptist Parish * Reserve, Montana, a census-designated place in Sheridan County * Reserve, New Mexico, a US vi ...

. Then a card is placed as the first

foundation Foundation may refer to: * Foundation (nonprofit), a type of charitable organization ** Foundation (United States law), a type of charitable organization in the U.S. ** Private foundation, a charitable organization that, while serving a good cause ...

. Then, below the reserve, twelve cards are dealt in three rows of four cards each. As they become

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, the seven other cards of the same

rank Rank is the relative position, value, worth, complexity, power, importance, authority, level, etc. of a person or object within a ranking, such as: Level or position in a hierarchical organization * Academic rank * Diplomatic rank * Hierarchy * H ...

as the first

foundation card Games of patience, or (card) solitaires as they are usually called in North America, have their own 'language' of specialised terms such as "building down", "packing", "foundations", "talon" and "tableau". Once learnt they are helpful in des ...

are placed in the foundations as well, and all are

built up Games of patience, or (card) solitaires as they are usually called in North America, have their own 'language' of specialised terms such as "building down", "packing", "foundations", "talon" and "tableau". Once learnt they are helpful in des ...

regardless of

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until each contains thirteen cards. For example, if the card dealt after the reserve is formed is a seven, the other sevens should start the other foundations. But the other foundations cards are subject on this restriction: The first foundation must be built up first until it has thirteen cards. When the first foundation is finished, the other seven foundations can be started and built at the same time. The

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of the reserve is available for play only on the foundations. The top cards of the

tableau Tableau (French for 'little table' literally, also used to mean 'picture'; tableaux or, rarely, tableaus) may refer to: Arts * ''Tableau'', a series of four paintings by Piet Mondrian titled ''Tableau I'' through to ''Tableau IV'' * ''Tableau viv ...

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(initially containing one card) are available for play both on the foundations and on other tableau piles. The tableau cards are

built down Games of patience, or (card) solitaires as they are usually called in North America, have their own 'language' of specialised terms such as "building down", "packing", "foundations", "talon" and "tableau". Once learnt they are helpful in de ...

regardless of suit, and only one card can be moved at a time. Building in this case is round-the-corner, i.e. an ace is ranked between a king and a two. Spaces in the tableau are filled using ''only'' cards from the

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or the

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(never from the tableau), but not immediately; the player can leave a space as long as one likes. During the restriction, while the first foundation is still being built, only a card that is of the same rank as the first card of the first foundation can be placed in a space in the tableau. Foundation cards in the tableau cannot be built on other cards or built upon, they can only fill

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. Once the first foundation is finished (i.e. contains thirteen cards), any card from the wastepile or the stock can be placed on a space. The stock can be dealt one at a time and unplayable cards can be placed on the wastepile, the top card of which is available for play. There is no redeal. The game is blocked if it cannot be completed after the stock runs out. The patience is out when all cards are built in the foundations.

Strategy

Because of the restriction, the player is advised to build on the first foundation as fast as possible so when that is done, the player can proceed in the building the other foundations. Also, the use of the reserve is suggested in every opportunity, and the use of spaces must be maximized, since they may not filled immediately.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Plot Reserved packers Double-deck patience card games

Rules

Strategy

See also

References