Amazons is an old patience or card solitaire game which is played with a single deck of playing cards. The game is played with a Piquet pack minus the kings or a standard 52-card pack that has its twos, threes, fours, fives, sixes, and kings removed. This game is named after the female-led tribe, the Amazons, because the queen is the highest card, and all queens are displayed if the game is won.[2]
Amazons is an old game, recorded as early as 1898 in the 2nd series of Dick's Games of Patience, where it is described as being played with a Piquet pack.[3]Parlett points out that, like Puzzler, it is the short pack equivalent of the compulsive but frustrating game of Auld Lang Syne.[4] As a 32-card patience, it is not commonly included in English games compendia.
Rulesedit
First, four cards are dealt in a row as the tableau, called the auxiliary row by Dick and the reserve row by Morehead & Mott-Smith. Above this is another row of initially four spaces for the foundations. Once an ace is available, it is placed on the foundations from left to right in the order in which they become available.[3][4]
If an available card in the auxiliary row is immediately below the foundation of the same suit and is the next card in sequence, it is played onto that foundation pile. [a] The order of placing is in ascending sequence: A-7-8-9-10-J-Q.[3][4]
When no more cards can be played, four more cards are then dealt, face up, one to each depot, covering any cards already there.[b] The player pauses again to see if any of the cards dealt can be placed on the foundations. Spaces are not filled until the next deal. This process is repeated until the talon runs out. When it does, a new one is formed by picking up each pile in turn, turning them face down and dealing again; this should be done without reshuffling.[c] The process of dealing the cards, building to the foundations, and redealing, is repeated without limit until the game is won or blocked i.e. lost.[3][4]
The game is won when all cards are built onto the foundations, with the Queens at the top.[3][4]
Strategyedit
Given the unlimited redeals, one of the best strategies for winning Amazons in as many as half the games played is to only play one Ace at a time rather than all of them initially, working on a single foundation at a time, and only playing another Ace when stuck despite redealing.
^Morehead & Mott-Smith[1] allow the Queen to be moved to complete its foundation pile from any depot in the tableau. This grace is not mentioned by Dick or Parlett.
^Parlett allows cards to be overlapped as a column.
^Parlett specifies that the 'columns' are gathered up from left to right; Dick says "take the auxiliary packets up one upon the other in rotation from right to left".
amazons, card, game, amazons, patience, card, solitaire, game, which, played, with, single, deck, playing, cards, game, played, with, piquet, pack, minus, kings, standard, card, pack, that, twos, threes, fours, fives, sixes, kings, removed, this, game, named, . Amazons is an old patience or card solitaire game which is played with a single deck of playing cards The game is played with a Piquet pack minus the kings or a standard 52 card pack that has its twos threes fours fives sixes and kings removed This game is named after the female led tribe the Amazons because the queen is the highest card and all queens are displayed if the game is won 2 AmazonsA Patience gameTypeSimple builderFamilyDiscardingDeckPiquet pack minus the KingsPlaying time5 min 1 Odds of winning1 in 10 1 Contents 1 Background 2 Rules 3 Strategy 4 See also 5 Footnotes 6 References 7 LiteratureBackground editAmazons is an old game recorded as early as 1898 in the 2nd series of Dick s Games of Patience where it is described as being played with a Piquet pack 3 Parlett points out that like Puzzler it is the short pack equivalent of the compulsive but frustrating game of Auld Lang Syne 4 As a 32 card patience it is not commonly included in English games compendia Rules editFirst four cards are dealt in a row as the tableau called the auxiliary row by Dick and the reserve row by Morehead amp Mott Smith Above this is another row of initially four spaces for the foundations Once an ace is available it is placed on the foundations from left to right in the order in which they become available 3 4 If an available card in the auxiliary row is immediately below the foundation of the same suit and is the next card in sequence it is played onto that foundation pile a The order of placing is in ascending sequence A 7 8 9 10 J Q 3 4 When no more cards can be played four more cards are then dealt face up one to each depot covering any cards already there b The player pauses again to see if any of the cards dealt can be placed on the foundations Spaces are not filled until the next deal This process is repeated until the talon runs out When it does a new one is formed by picking up each pile in turn turning them face down and dealing again this should be done without reshuffling c The process of dealing the cards building to the foundations and redealing is repeated without limit until the game is won or blocked i e lost 3 4 The game is won when all cards are built onto the foundations with the Queens at the top 3 4 Strategy editGiven the unlimited redeals one of the best strategies for winning Amazons in as many as half the games played is to only play one Ace at a time rather than all of them initially working on a single foundation at a time and only playing another Ace when stuck despite redealing See also editList of patiences and solitaires Glossary of patience and solitaire termsFootnotes edit Morehead amp Mott Smith 1 allow the Queen to be moved to complete its foundation pile from any depot in the tableau This grace is not mentioned by Dick or Parlett Parlett allows cards to be overlapped as a column Parlett specifies that the columns are gathered up from left to right Dick says take the auxiliary packets up one upon the other in rotation from right to left References edit a b c Morehead amp Mott Smith 2001 p 179 Liflander 2002 p 14 a b c d e Dick 1898 pp 107 108 a b c d e Parlett 1979 p 37 Literature editDick Harris B 1898 Dick s Games of Patience Second series 70 games NY Dick amp Fitzgerald Liflander Pamela 2002 The Little Book of Solitaire Philadelphia PA Running Press ISBN 0 7624 1381 6 Morehead Albert and Geoffrey Mott Smith 2001 The Complete Book of Solitaire and Patience Slough Foulsham ISBN 0 572 02654 4 Parlett David 1979 The Penguin Book of Patience London Penguin ISBN 0 7139 1193 X Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Amazons card game amp oldid 1122991928, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
