Reading the Tableau

Tip 1Watch how the cards are arranged in the ten tableau piles

The ten piles fall into a handful of recognisable shapes. Naming the one in front of you is the fastest way to decide how carefully to play.

Tip 2The first legal move is not always the strongest move

Both sequences below can be moved. The 7 of clubs can join the 8 and 9 of clubs, and the 7 of hearts can join the 8 and 9 of hearts.

Example — A 7 of clubs and a 7 of hearts can both be moved

The club move uncovers the Ace of diamonds. The heart move uncovers the King of spades.

The first legal move you notice is not necessarily the correct one. Move the club sequence, because it uncovers the more useful card.

Tip 3A move that joins a sequence is usually good, but not always best

Moving the 10-9 sequence onto the Jack of spades is a good move because it creates a longer same-suit sequence.

Example — A 10 of spades can join a Jack of spades

It is an even stronger move because it uncovers the Ace of hearts. If the same move created the sequence but uncovered an unusable King, it would still be useful — just not as strong.

Always read the card beneath the sequence before deciding which move to make.

Tip 4Higher available cards often hide more important lower cards

Example — Reading a pile with a 9 or 10 available

The 9 of diamonds can move onto the 10 of diamonds, which uncovers the Ace of clubs. The 10 of clubs can move onto the Jack of clubs, which uncovers the 2 of hearts.

A high available card may not look important by itself. But if moving it uncovers an Ace, a 2 or a 3, the move may be one of the strongest on the tableau.

Tip 5Moving a higher card can reveal a premium foundation card

Example — Moving a Queen to uncover an Ace

The Queen of diamonds can be moved onto the King of diamonds. The Queen is a high card and will not reach its foundation for some time, but moving it uncovers the Ace of spades.

The Queen move is strong because of the card beneath it, not because of the Queen itself. When a high card has a legal destination, always check whether it is blocking an Ace or another low foundation card.

Tip 6A card moved into an empty pile may be temporary

The 7 of hearts can be moved into the empty pile, but that does not mean it should stay there.

Example — A 7 of hearts moves into an empty pile

If the 4 of clubs can be moved to its foundation, the 8 of hearts becomes available. The 8 can then move onto the 9, followed by the 7, and the complete sequence becomes 9♥-8♥-7♥.

The 7 of hearts was only stored in the empty pile until its correct destination became available. An empty pile is often a temporary working space; a card placed there should have a clear next move whenever possible.

Tip 7Use duplicate cards to decide which pile should be opened

You have two copies of the 7 of clubs, and either card can be moved onto the 8 of clubs.

Example — Two sevens of clubs are available

If you move the 7 from Pile A, you uncover the Ace of diamonds. If you move the 7 from Pile B, you uncover the King of hearts. Move the 7 from Pile A.

The two cards have the same rank and suit, but they do not have the same value to your position. The card beneath each duplicate decides which copy should move.

Tip 8Use duplicate foundation cards to keep both foundations moving

Example — Two fours of diamonds are available

One 4 of diamonds can move to Foundation One. The second 4 cannot move to Foundation Two until the 3 of diamonds becomes available.

Before moving either 4, check which pile will be emptied and which card will be uncovered. If moving the 4 from Pile A creates an empty tableau pile, use that copy. If moving the 4 from Pile B uncovers the missing 3 of diamonds, use the copy from Pile B.

The duplicate cards are identical. The cards beneath them are not.

Tip 9A long sequence can be strong even when it does not reach a foundation

Example — Reading a Queen-high club sequence

The Queen-high club sequence can move onto the King of clubs, creating K♣-Q♣-J♣-10♣-9♣. The move is strong because the complete sequence can still travel as one group, and stronger still because Pile A becomes empty.

Do not judge a tableau sequence only by how close it is to a foundation. A long same-suit sequence helps you clear piles and reorganise the whole board.

Tip 10A mixed-suit group is not a movable sequence

Example — Reading a broken diamond sequence

The Jack and 10 of diamonds are in the correct order, but the 9 of clubs breaks the sequence. You cannot move all four cards together onto the Queen of diamonds.

The 8 of diamonds is the only available card. The 9 of clubs must move before the 10 and Jack of diamonds can become part of a movable sequence.

Cards can look connected while still being blocked. Check the suit of every card before treating a group as a sequence.

Tip 11The current waste card tells you which tableau move to make

The 6 of spades cannot be played because the 7 of spades is covered by the 3 of hearts.

Example — A 6 of spades is on the waste pile

Move the 3 of hearts to its foundation. The 7 of spades becomes available. Move the 7 onto the 8, then move the 6 from the waste onto the 7. The completed sequence is 8♠-7♠-6♠.

Do not read the waste pile separately from the tableau. The waste card often tells you exactly which tableau card needs to be uncovered.

Tip 12An unplayable waste card may become playable after several moves

The 9 of clubs cannot move directly onto the Jack of clubs.

Example — A 9 of clubs has no immediate destination

Move the 4 of diamonds to its foundation. The 10 of clubs becomes available. Move the 10 onto the Jack, then move the 9 from the waste onto the 10, completing J♣-10♣-9♣.

Turning over the next stock card would cover the 9 of clubs. Read the complete position before deciding that a waste card cannot be played.

Tip 13An empty tableau pile is more valuable while it stays empty

Example — A King can fill the empty pile

Moving the King of hearts into the empty pile is legal, but the King has no useful next move. The 8-7-6 sequence can move onto the 9 of diamonds without using the empty pile at all.

Keep the empty space available for a card or sequence that cannot be played anywhere else. A legal move into an empty pile is not necessarily a strong move.

Tip 14Two empty piles change the strength of the whole tableau

Example — Combining three spade sequences

Use one empty pile to hold the 8-7 sequence. Move the 10-9 sequence onto the Jack. Then move the 8-7 sequence onto the 9. The result is Q♠-J♠-10♠-9♠-8♠-7♠, and the borrowed pile is empty again.

A position with two empty piles is much stronger than it first appears. The spaces let you move sequences in an order that would otherwise be impossible.

Tip 15A foundation-ready card may still be needed in the tableau

Example — Reading a 6 of hearts

The 6 of hearts can move to the foundation. But moving it onto the 7 of hearts uncovers the 4 of clubs and creates a useful tableau sequence.

The foundation move is legal. The tableau move is stronger. Read the complete position before automatically sending every available card home.

Tip 16Balanced foundations give you more ways to use duplicate cards

Example — Two spade foundations

Moving the 6 of spades to the first foundation may look correct. However, the 6 can also support the 5 later, or sit beneath the 7 in the tableau.

Moving the second 3 of spades may be more useful, because it keeps both spade foundations developing. Do not read each foundation by itself — read both foundations of the same suit together.