Four Corners

Playing the Game

Four Corners is a standard one-deck solitaire game also known as "Four Seasons", "Corner Card" or "Vanishing Cross".

Object

The object of the game is to move all of the cards to the four corners in increasing order while following suit.

The layout of Four Corners consists of the following four groups of cards:

Tableau

The tableau are any of the five piles of cards in the center of the layout. These cards appear to form a "cross". This is the work area, where most of the card movement is done. These piles may be built down, regardless of suit, wrapping around from ace to king as necessary.

Foundations

The foundations are the piles of cards in the four corners of the layout. Initially, only the upper left foundation has a card in it. These piles are built up in suit, wrapping around from king to ace as necessary

Stock

On the Palm-size PC the stock pile is located below and to the left of the layout. On the H/PC and H/PC Professional the stock pile is located to the right of the layout.

The stock pile contains all of the cards that have not yet been dealt. The number of cards left in the stock is shown above the pile.

Waste Piles

The traditional game of Four Corners contains only one waste pile. This version has the option for an additional waste pile. It is initially empty, but is used to hold cards as they are dealt from the stock pile.

When there are two waste piles the card on the middle waste pile is moved to the far right pile before a new card is retrieved from the stock.

Starting the game

The game begins with 5 cards being dealt to the tableau and one card dealt to the upper left foundation. This card becomes the "corner card". The other 3 corner foundations must begin with the same card rank (number).

The remaining cards form the stock. The waste piles are initially empty.

Play

Each foundation is built upward in suit (increasing rank) until it contains 13 cards, wrapping around from King to Ace as necessary. For example, with a starting card of seven, the sequence of cards built to the foundations will be:

7-8-9-10-J-Q-K-A-2-3-4-5-6

The tableau cards are available for play at any time, and may be moved (one card at a time) to the foundations or to another tableau pile. The tableau piles may be built down in rank, regardless of suit.

The cards in the stock are available for play to the the 1st wastepile. The top card of the wastepile(s) may be moved to either the foundations or tableau.

The object of the game is to complete the four foundations.

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