(idea) by exeter Wed Jan 21 2004 at 9:09:17

A card game for 2-4 players. Use a standard 52-card deck (jokers removed).

Rules:
  1. Each player is dealt 7 cards.
  2. 4 cards are drawn and placed, face up, at the front, back, left and right sides of the deck. If one of the cards is a king, place by the corner of the deck, instead. The first player may fill the empty spot with any card from his or her hand.
  3. Each player draws at the beginning of his or her turn.
  4. During each players turn, he or she tries to get rid of as many cards as possible. Cards are played, solitaire-like, in rows of overlapping cards, with descending order and alternating colors. For example, if the row has a red king on top, the next card played must be a black queen, then a red jack, and so on. (Aces are low.)
  5. Players may move rows on top of other rows, as long as the new row is continuous. For example, if row A has a red 6 on top and row B has a black 5 on the bottom, row B may be moved onto row A. Since the spot where row B was is now empty, any card may be played there to start a new row.
  6. If you're holding a king, you can start a new row from one of the corners of the deck. (The corner rows may only be started with kings.)
  7. The player who gets rid of all their cards first wins!

Alternate rules. Addendum to rule #5: As long as one of the 4 sides is open, cards may also be played under the rows. The main advantage of this is it makes the game go a lot faster. Other variations involve drawing at the end of the turn instead of the beginning, and drawing 2 cards instead of one.

Jax, a game company, produced a version of this game called "Kings in the Corner" that uses chips and a tray to hold the cards.

I like it!
(thing) by waverider37 Tue Nov 28 2006 at 1:38:58

Also a single-player game similar to other patience games such as Klondike and Clock.

The Rules

The player has a full deck of playing cards, minus jokers, and an imaginary 4x4 grid to play the cards onto. If it helps, you can make your own. The player turns one card over from the top of the deck. If the card is a picture card (jack, queen, king), s/he must place it around the edge in the following pattern:

+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+
|   | |   | |   | |   |
| K | | Q | | Q | | K |
|   | |   | |   | |   |
+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+

+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+
|   | |   | |   | |   |
| J | |   | |   | | J |
|   | |   | |   | |   |
+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+

+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+
|   | |   | |   | |   |
| J | |   | |   | | J |
|   | |   | |   | |   |
+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+

+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+
|   | |   | |   | |   |
| K | | Q | | Q | | K |
|   | |   | |   | |   |
+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+

(Note: Alternatively, queens and jacks can swap spots, but queens cannot be played next to jacks and vice versa.)
It's usually a good idea to turn over picture cards as they are played, so that they are face down and create a neat little border.
If, however, the card is not a picture card, it may be played anywhere (but it must be played!). Be careful, however: you may be blocking the path for picture cards. It is best to fill the centre four spots first.
Once the grid is filled completely, no more cards can be played, so cards need to be removed. Now take out two non-picture cards at a time that add up to 10, or one 10, and discard them. (Aces are worth 1.) Once all possible cards are removed and discarded, start the process again. Repeat until either:

  • no more moves are possible (all queen spaces are filled, and you draw a queen, for example, or no pairs of cards add up to 10), in which case the game is lost, or
  • -the border is filled with picture cards in the correct pattern, in which case the game is won.

Sample game

This is a game I played while noding to show you how to play. In the following example, X=10 and A=Ace.

First deal

+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+
|   | |   | |   | |KKK|
| A | | 6 | | 5 | |KKK|
|   | |   | |   | |KKK|
+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+

+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+
|   | |   | |   | |   |
| 3 | | 7 | | 4 | | 3 |
|   | |   | |   | |   |
+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+

+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+
|   | |   | |   | |   |
| X | | 8 | | 2 | | 4 |
|   | |   | |   | |   |
+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+

+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+
|KKK| |QQQ| |QQQ| |   |
|KKK| |QQQ| |QQQ| | 8 |
|KKK| |QQQ| |QQQ| |   |
+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+

Removal

Clearly, we can remove the 10 immediately. This goes into a separate pile of discards. 
+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+
|   | |   | |   | |KKK|
| A | | 6 | | 5 | |KKK|
|   | |   | |   | |KKK|
+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+

+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+
|   | |   | |   | |   |
| 3 | | 7 | | 4 | | 3 |
|   | |   | |   | |   |
+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+

+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+
|   | |   | |   | |   |
|   | | 8 | | 2 | | 4 |
|   | |   | |   | |   |
+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+

+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+
|KKK| |QQQ| |QQQ| |   |
|KKK| |QQQ| |QQQ| | 8 |
|KKK| |QQQ| |QQQ| |   |
+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+
Now we face problems. We can match up a 6 and a 4, an 8 and a 2, a 7 and a 3... but which ones? It doesn't matter which 3 we remove, because either one would free up room for a jack. I'll remove the one on the right. 
+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+
|   | |   | |   | |KKK|
| A | | 6 | | 5 | |KKK|
|   | |   | |   | |KKK|
+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+

+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+
|   | |   | |   | |   |
| 3 | |   | | 4 | |   |
|   | |   | |   | |   |
+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+

+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+
|   | |   | |   | |   |
|   | | 8 | | 2 | | 4 |
|   | |   | |   | |   |
+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+

+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+
|KKK| |QQQ| |QQQ| |   |
|KKK| |QQQ| |QQQ| | 8 |
|KKK| |QQQ| |QQQ| |   |
+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+
It's not a good idea to match the 2 with the central 8 as that frees no space for a picture card. I'll remove the one in the corner and take my chances with just one corner. 
+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+
|   | |   | |   | |KKK|
| A | | 6 | | 5 | |KKK|
|   | |   | |   | |KKK|
+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+

+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+
|   | |   | |   | |   |
| 3 | |   | | 4 | |   |
|   | |   | |   | |   |
+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+

+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+
|   | |   | |   | |   |
|   | | 8 | |   | | 4 |
|   | |   | |   | |   |
+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+

+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+
|KKK| |QQQ| |QQQ| |   |
|KKK| |QQQ| |QQQ| |   |
|KKK| |QQQ| |QQQ| |   |
+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+
There is no room to stick a queen so I'll remove the 6, and with it the 4 in the fourth column, to also free up space for a jack. 
+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+
|   | |   | |   | |KKK|
| A | |   | | 5 | |KKK|
|   | |   | |   | |KKK|
+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+

+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+
|   | |   | |   | |   |
| 3 | |   | | 4 | |   |
|   | |   | |   | |   |
+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+

+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+
|   | |   | |   | |   |
|   | | 8 | |   | |   |
|   | |   | |   | |   |
+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+

+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+
|KKK| |QQQ| |QQQ| |   |
|KKK| |QQQ| |QQQ| |   |
|KKK| |QQQ| |QQQ| |   |
+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+
That's all the cards I can remove so I start the process again.

Second Deal

+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+
|   | |   | |   | |KKK|
| A | | 6 | | 5 | |KKK|
|   | |   | |   | |KKK|
+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+

+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+
|   | |   | |   | |   |
| 3 | | 3 | | 4 | | 7 |
|   | |   | |   | |   |
+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+

+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+
|   | |   | |   | |   |
| A | | 8 | | X | | 6 |
|   | |   | |   | |   |
+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+

+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+
|KKK| |QQQ| |QQQ| |KKK|
|KKK| |QQQ| |QQQ| |KKK|
|KKK| |QQQ| |QQQ| |KKK|
+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+

Removal

I can remove a six and the four, a three and the 7, and the 10. Tactically, I'm freeing up two jack spots with the three and seven (on the far left and far right respectively), so I need to free up a queen spot with the six up the top-left. Unfortunately, there are no corner spots available, so I'll have to try my luck. Fortunately, I only draw five cards this time around. 
+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+
|   | |   | |   | |KKK|
| A | |   | | 5 | |KKK|
|   | |   | |   | |KKK|
+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+

+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+
|   | |   | |   | |   |
|   | | 3 | |   | |   |
|   | |   | |   | |   |
+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+

+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+
|   | |   | |   | |   |
| A | | 8 | |   | | 6 |
|   | |   | |   | |   |
+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+

+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+
|KKK| |QQQ| |QQQ| |KKK|
|KKK| |QQQ| |QQQ| |KKK|
|KKK| |QQQ| |QQQ| |KKK|
+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+

Third Deal

+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+
|   | |   | |   | |KKK|
| A | | A | | 5 | |KKK|
|   | |   | |   | |KKK|
+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+

+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+
|JJJ| |   | |   | |   |
|JJJ| | 3 | | 5 | | X |
|JJJ| |   | |   | |   |
+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+

+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+
|   | |   | |   | |   |
| A | | 8 | | 8 | | 6 |
|   | |   | |   | |   |
+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+

+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+
|KKK| |QQQ| |QQQ| |KKK|
|KKK| |QQQ| |QQQ| |KKK|
|KKK| |QQQ| |QQQ| |KKK|
+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+

Removal

I have a dire problem now: three aces and no nines, and one of the aces is blocking the only corner! Yikes! Thankfully, though, I can free up a queen and a jack spot by removing the ten and the two fives. Fives are technically the hardest cards to remove (think about it.) so it's a relief to get rid of that one up the top that's been lingering. 
+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+
|   | |   | |   | |KKK|
| A | | A | |   | |KKK|
|   | |   | |   | |KKK|
+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+

+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+
|JJJ| |   | |   | |   |
|JJJ| | 3 | |   | |   |
|JJJ| |   | |   | |   |
+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+

+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+
|   | |   | |   | |   |
| A | | 8 | | 8 | | 6 |
|   | |   | |   | |   |
+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+

+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+
|KKK| |QQQ| |QQQ| |KKK|
|KKK| |QQQ| |QQQ| |KKK|
|KKK| |QQQ| |QQQ| |KKK|
+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+
The first card I get is going in the middle spot.

Fourth Deal

+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+
|   | |   | |   | |KKK|
| A | | A | | 5 | |KKK|
|   | |   | |   | |KKK|
+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+

+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+
|JJJ| |   | |   | |JJJ|
|JJJ| | 3 | | 9 | |JJJ|
|JJJ| |   | |   | |JJJ|
+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+

+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+
|   | |   | |   | |   |
| A | | 8 | | 8 | | 6 |
|   | |   | |   | |   |
+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+

+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+
|KKK| |QQQ| |QQQ| |KKK|
|KKK| |QQQ| |QQQ| |KKK|
|KKK| |QQQ| |QQQ| |KKK|
+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+

Removal

I've been given another wretched five, but at least now I have a nine! But I also have a dilemma: Which ace to remove? I can only free up one picture card spot. Since I already have 3 kings but only 2 jack/queen spots each, I am statistically more likely to draw a queen or jack, but Murphy's Law says that I will get a king. Which do I trust? I actually trust Murphy's Law: Whatever can go wrong will go wrong. 
+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+
|   | |   | |   | |KKK|
|   | | A | | 5 | |KKK|
|   | |   | |   | |KKK|
+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+

+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+
|JJJ| |   | |   | |JJJ|
|JJJ| | 3 | |   | |JJJ|
|JJJ| |   | |   | |JJJ|
+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+

+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+
|   | |   | |   | |   |
| A | | 8 | | 8 | | 6 |
|   | |   | |   | |   |
+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+

+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+
|KKK| |QQQ| |QQQ| |KKK|
|KKK| |QQQ| |QQQ| |KKK|
|KKK| |QQQ| |QQQ| |KKK|
+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+

Fifth Deal

+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+
|   | |   | |   | |KKK|
| A | | A | | 5 | |KKK|
|   | |   | |   | |KKK|
+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+

+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+
|JJJ| |   | |   | |JJJ|
|JJJ| | 3 | | 4 | |JJJ|
|JJJ| |   | |   | |JJJ|
+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+

+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+
|   | |   | |   | |   |
| A | | 8 | | 8 | | 6 |
|   | |   | |   | |   |
+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+

+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+
|KKK| |QQQ| |QQQ| |KKK|
|KKK| |QQQ| |QQQ| |KKK|
|KKK| |QQQ| |QQQ| |KKK|
+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+

Removal

Not again. I can free a jack space but that's it... 
+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+
|   | |   | |   | |KKK|
| A | | A | | 5 | |KKK|
|   | |   | |   | |KKK|
+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+

+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+
|JJJ| |   | |   | |JJJ|
|JJJ| | 3 | |   | |JJJ|
|JJJ| |   | |   | |JJJ|
+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+

+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+
|   | |   | |   | |   |
| A | | 8 | | 8 | |   |
|   | |   | |   | |   |
+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+

+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+
|KKK| |QQQ| |QQQ| |KKK|
|KKK| |QQQ| |QQQ| |KKK|
|KKK| |QQQ| |QQQ| |KKK|
+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+
That was my only option this time so I have no guilt feelings or feelings of doom.

Sixth Deal

+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+
|   | |   | |   | |KKK|
| A | | A | | 5 | |KKK|
|   | |   | |   | |KKK|
+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+

+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+
|JJJ| |   | |   | |JJJ|
|JJJ| | 3 | | 7 | |JJJ|
|JJJ| |   | |   | |JJJ|
+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+

+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+
|   | |   | |   | |   |
| A | | 8 | | 8 | | 6 |
|   | |   | |   | |   |
+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+

+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+
|KKK| |QQQ| |QQQ| |KKK|
|KKK| |QQQ| |QQQ| |KKK|
|KKK| |QQQ| |QQQ| |KKK|
+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+

Removal

Oh, bugger. I cannot free up any picture card spots so I need to do what I can and hope to all the Gods that I get a couple of nines. 
+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+
|   | |   | |   | |KKK|
| A | | A | | 5 | |KKK|
|   | |   | |   | |KKK|
+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+

+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+
|JJJ| |   | |   | |JJJ|
|JJJ| |   | |   | |JJJ|
|JJJ| |   | |   | |JJJ|
+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+

+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+
|   | |   | |   | |   |
| A | | 8 | | 8 | | 6 |
|   | |   | |   | |   |
+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+

+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+
|KKK| |QQQ| |QQQ| |KKK|
|KKK| |QQQ| |QQQ| |KKK|
|KKK| |QQQ| |QQQ| |KKK|
+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+

Seventh Deal

+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+
|   | |   | |   | |KKK|
| A | | A | | 5 | |KKK|
|   | |   | |   | |KKK|
+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+

+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+
|JJJ| |   | |   | |JJJ|
|JJJ| | X | | 4 | |JJJ|
|JJJ| |   | |   | |JJJ|
+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+

+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+
|   | |   | |   | |   |
| A | | 8 | | 8 | | 6 |
|   | |   | |   | |   |
+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+

+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+
|KKK| |QQQ| |QQQ| |KKK|
|KKK| |QQQ| |QQQ| |KKK|
|KKK| |QQQ| |QQQ| |KKK|
+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+

Removal

Still safe, but still floundering. I have a picture card space. 
+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+
|   | |   | |   | |KKK|
| A | | A | | 5 | |KKK|
|   | |   | |   | |KKK|
+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+

+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+
|JJJ| |   | |   | |JJJ|
|JJJ| |   | |   | |JJJ|
|JJJ| |   | |   | |JJJ|
+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+

+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+
|   | |   | |   | |   |
| A | | 8 | | 8 | |   |
|   | |   | |   | |   |
+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+

+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+
|KKK| |QQQ| |QQQ| |KKK|
|KKK| |QQQ| |QQQ| |KKK|
|KKK| |QQQ| |QQQ| |KKK|
+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+

Eighth Deal

+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+
|   | |   | |   | |KKK|
| A | | A | | 5 | |KKK|
|   | |   | |   | |KKK|
+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+

+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+
|JJJ| |   | |   | |JJJ|
|JJJ| | 9 | |   | |JJJ|
|JJJ| |   | |   | |JJJ|
+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+

+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+
|   | |   | |   | |JJJ|
| A | | 8 | | 8 | |JJJ|
|   | |   | |   | |JJJ|
+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+

+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+
|KKK| |QQQ| |QQQ| |KKK|
|KKK| |QQQ| |QQQ| |KKK|
|KKK| |QQQ| |QQQ| |KKK|
+---+ +---+ +---+ +---+
Things were actually going OK... until I drew a king with no place to put it. One... card... away. ...Never mind, that's why they call these games of patience.
I like it!

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