Rules for FreeCell

FreeCell is one of the world's most popular solitaire games, renowned for its high solvability rate and strategic depth. Unlike many other solitaires, all cards are visible from the start, making FreeCell a game where planning and strategy matter more than luck. Almost every deal can be solved - in fact, over 99.9% of games are winnable!

The game was invented by Paul Alfille in 1978 and gained enormous popularity when Microsoft included it with Windows starting in 1995. FreeCell is played with a standard 52-card deck and typically takes 5-15 minutes to complete.

The game board consists of three main areas:

• Tableau: 8 columns in the center where all 52 cards are dealt face-up. The first 4 columns receive 7 cards each, the last 4 receive 6 cards each.
• Free Cells: 4 empty spaces in the upper left that can be used for temporary card storage.
• Foundations: 4 empty spaces in the upper right where cards must be built up in ascending order from Ace to King by suit.

All cards are visible from the start, giving you complete information to plan your strategy.

The goal is to move all 52 cards to the four foundation piles. Each foundation must be built up in ascending order (Ace, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, Jack, Queen, King) and contain only cards of the same suit.

The game is won when all four foundations are completed with 13 cards each, from Ace to King in the same suit.

In FreeCell, you can only move one card at a time. Here are the key rules:

• Building in the tableau: Cards can be placed on top of each other in descending order with alternating colors (red on black, black on red).
• Free cells: Each of the 4 free cells can hold one card. These serve as temporary storage spaces.
• Empty columns: An empty column can accept any card or card sequence.
• Foundations: Start with an Ace and build up to King in the same suit.

While you technically can only move one card at a time, the game allows you to move sequences if you have enough free spaces to perform the move step by step.

Although the basic rule is that you can only move one card at a time, in practice you can move multiple cards as a sequence if the following conditions are met:

• The cards must be in proper sequence (descending with alternating colors)
• You must have enough free spaces to perform the move

Formula for maximum sequence: Number of cards you can move = (Number of free cells + 1) × 2^(number of empty columns)

Examples:
- 4 free cells, 0 empty columns = 5 cards
- 2 free cells, 1 empty column = 6 cards
- 0 free cells, 2 empty columns = 4 cards

Here are key strategies to master FreeCell:

• Prioritize Aces and Twos: Move these to foundations as soon as possible to free up space.
• Keep free cells empty: Use them sparingly and always have a plan to empty them again.
• Create empty columns: Empty columns are extremely valuable as they can accept long sequences.
• Plan ahead: Since all cards are visible, study the layout carefully before making moves.
• Avoid filling all free cells: This limits you to moving only one card at a time.
• Build long sequences: But ensure you're not blocking access to important cards.

There are several interesting variants of FreeCell:

• Baker's Game: Cards build down by suit (not alternating colors), making the game harder.
• Eight Off: Has 8 free cells, but 4 are already occupied at start.
• Seahaven Towers: Combines elements from FreeCell and other solitaires.
• Easy FreeCell: Starts with Aces and Twos already placed in foundations.
• Double FreeCell: Played with two decks for a bigger challenge.

FreeCell has a fascinating history and some exciting properties:

• Of the original 32,000 Microsoft FreeCell deals, only #11982 is proven unsolvable.
• In 1994-95, a project was undertaken to solve all 32,000 deals - only one was impossible!
• There are over 1.75 × 10^64 possible FreeCell deals.
• The game was originally programmed on the PLATO system at the University of Illinois.
• FreeCell is considered an NP-complete problem in computer science.
• Research shows FreeCell can help identify individuals with memory problems.

Beginners often make these mistakes:

• Filling all free cells too early: This severely limits your options for further moves.
• Forgetting the value of empty columns: An empty column is often more valuable than a free cell.
• Moving cards to foundations too early: Sometimes you need these cards later in the game.
• Not planning ahead: Since all cards are visible, you should always think several moves ahead.
• Building sequences that are too long: This can block access to important cards.

Remember: Patience and planning are the keys to success in FreeCell!