How to Play Kings in the Corners Solitaire

Kings in the Corners Solitaire Rules

| Players: 1 | Type: Solitaire | Supplies: 1 Deck |

Objective

The objective of Kings in the Corners is to place the kings, queens, and jacks in designated cells on the tableau and deplete the stock.

Setup

Leave room for a four-by-four grid that will make up the 16 tableau cells. Place the entire deck face down to form the stock.

Game Play

This game alternates between two phases. Phase one is filling the board. Phase two is removing pairs that add up to 10. To start phase one, draw one card at a time, and place it on the grid. Each cell may only hold one card at a time. Kings may only be placed on the corners (marked with “K”). Queens may only be placed in the two middle cells at the top and bottom rows (marked with “Q”). Jacks may only be placed in the two middle cells on the left and right columns (marked with “J”). All other cards, from ace through 10, may be placed on any of the 16 cells in the tableau. When all 16 tableau cells are filled, move to the second phase of removing pairs. If at any time a face card is drawn and cannot be placed in one of its designated face card cells, the game is lost.

When every cell in the tableau is filled, it is time for the second phase of discarding cards. Discard any two cards from the tableau whose combined value adds up to 10. The ace is valued at one. The number 10 card may be discarded by itself without needing to be paired. Once there are no more pairs in the tableau that can be discarded, return to phase one to fill the tableau again, and then return to phase two to discard cards in pairs whose combined value adds up to 10. This process repeats until there are no more available moves or the stock is depleted; then the game is over.

To Win

Kings in the Corner is won if all face cards are in their designated cells in the tableau, and the stock is depleted. If at any point there are no spaces available for a face card to be played, or there are no pairs that can be discarded and the stock is not depleted, the game is over.