Copyright: Copyright © 1995 Rhode Island Soft Systems, Inc.


Contents

Welcome to King Albert Solitaire from Rhode Island Soft Systems, Inc.!

King Albert is a challenging and enjoyable solitaire card game played with a single, standard deck of 52 playing cards.  For complete game rules, strategy tips, and information on how to receive more unique and enthralling card games, click on one of the following keywords:

Rules For Playing This Game

Strategy Tips For This Game

How To Use This Software (menu options and software features explained)

Receiving Additional Card Games

Contacting Rhode Island Soft Systems, Inc.


Rules For Playing This Game

The Layout

Nine rows of cards are dealt face up.  The first row contains nine cards, each subsequent row contains one less card than the previous row.  These cards are called the "tableau".  The tableau looks much like the popular "Klondike" solitaire game except that there are more rows, and all of the cards are dealt face up.

After dealing cards to the tableau, the seven cards remaining cards will be place in the "reserve" area at the top left corner of the screen.

To the right of the reserve area are four "foundations."

The Object of the Game

The object is to release the Aces from the tableau and reserve areas and build them upon the foundations, in numerical sequence and in suit, up to Kings.

Valid Moves

Unlike traditional "Klondike" Solitaire, only one card may be moved at a time.  Only the last, fully exposed card in each tableau column can be moved or played upon.

Build upon cards in the tableau downward in alternating colors (i.e. move a red 5 onto a black 4).

Build upon the foundations in incrementing order, by suit (i.e. play 2 of Spades on the Ace of Spades in the foundation).

Reserve cards can be played on foundation or tableau cards as needed.

Empty columns may be left empty, or filled with any card.  (See the tips for hints on utilizing empty column spaces)

Winning the Game

The game is won when all 52 cards have been moved up to the foundations and the four foundations have all been built from Aces up to Kings.

Click here for strategy tips


Strategy Tips For This Game

The fewer the number of cards in the tableau, the easier it is to maneuver cards.  Therefore:

* Move cards up to the foundations as soon as possible to remove cards from the tableau and free up space in the tableau.

* Try not to play reserve cards into the tableau -- leave them in the reserve place if you don't absolutely have to play them.  Play reserve cards only onto foundation cards if you can.

Free up some empty columns whenever possible, because they effectively allow movement of multiple cards.  Normally only one card can be moved at a time, but an empty column area allows the top (exposed) card to be moved off to the empty area as a temporary "holding spot", exposing the card below which may then be moved.  The first card can be moved out of the temporary empty spot back onto the second card.  The player can move one more card than the number of open columns (i.e. two open column spaces allow movement of three cards).  The game will often know when you want to move multiple cards and automate the task for you.

Attempt to "clear out" the left-hand columns quickly.  Since there are few cards in those columns, they're easiest to clear out, opening up columns for multi-card movements (see note above).

Try to remove the cards from the right most columns.  Those are the longest and "block" the most cards.  Those cards can't be accessed until they are freed.


How To Use This Software

Menu Options

Most features are accessed through the "File..." menu.

* The "New" menu option causes a new game to be started and the cards to be shuffled and dealt.

* The "Restart" menu item causes the game to reset itself back to the ways the cards were initially dealt for this game.  This allows the player to start over again with the same cards in the tableau.  Only the "New" menu option listed above will reshuffle and redeal the deck.

* The "Undo" menu option allows the player to take back and change a move.  By continuing to select the Undo option, the player can undo any number of moves, extending all of the way back to the start of the game.

* The "Options" menu item allows the player to customize the game environment, such as the animation speed and color schemes.  Note that selecting the fastest animation speed effectively disables animation, which is useful for improving performance on slower machines.

* The "Quit" menu option ends the current game, but leaves the software running so that a new game can be played.

Moving Cards

There are several ways to move cards in this game.  Most players use a combination of techniques -- please feel free to use those features that seem most comfortable.

Drag and Drop.  This game supports visual dragging and dropping of cards.  Just click on a card and while holding the left mouse button, drag the card to where it should be placed, then let go.  If the move is valid, the card will be dropped into that area.

Point and Click.  As an alternative to drag and drop, click once on a playable card and let go.  The card will turn gray to show that it's selected.  Move the mouse to where the card should be moved.  If that is a valid move, the mouse cursor will change to a vertical arrow.  Click once on that spot and the selected card will be moved.

Double Clicking.  Double clicking upon a tableau or reserve card will automatically send the card up to the appropriate foundation if there is a foundation move to be made with that card.  When a game is not active, double clicking anywhere on the background causes a new game to be dealt.


Tableau

The tableau consists of the nine rows of cards that are dealt.  The cards in the tableau may be moved onto other cards in the tableau, or moved up into the foundations.


Receiving Additional Card Games

Rhode Island Soft Systems, Inc. is a developer of many acclaimed software products including games, utilities, screen savers, applications, TrueType fonts, multimedia CD-ROM titles, and more.  Please contact Rhode Island Soft Systems, Inc. for more information on our other products.

Rhode Island Soft Systems, Inc. continues to develop new and exciting card games such as solitaire games, casino games, Bridge style games, multi-player games, and more.

The RISS Solitaire 5-Pak includes these fine single-player games:

* King Albert

* Frog

* Golf

* The Vanishing Cross

* Klondike

The RISS Solitaire 8-Pak includes all five games above, plus these bonus games:

* Pyramid

* Friday the 13th

* Canfield

These are high quality, interesting, and enthralling games that provide a nice balance -- they're all very different and provide a range of challenge (some are easier, some are more difficult).

These games are available in either the RISS Solitaire 5-Pak ($19.95) or the RISS Solitaire 8-Pak (special bonus price: $29.95).  Please add $5.00 S&H to all orders.

Phone orders can be placed by calling toll-free 1-800-959-RISS  to order the RISS Solitaire Pak directly from Rhode Island Soft Systems, Inc.  Checks and money orders can be mailed to Rhode Island Soft Systems, Inc. at P.O. Box 748, Woonsocket, RI 02895-0784.


Contacting Rhode Island Soft Systems, Inc.

If you need to contact us, please do not hesitate to use whichever method is most convenient for you.  We look forward to serving you!

U.S. Mail:	Rhode Island Soft Systems

P.O. Box 748

Woonsocket, RI 02895-0784

Telephone:	1-401-767-3106

Fax: 	1-401-767-3108

CompuServe:	GO RISS, Section/Lib 5.  Or private e-mail to  72662,463.

Internet:	72662.463@compuserve.com

World Wide Web:	http://www.RISoftSystems.com


Reserve

The reserve consists of the seven cards that are left over after the tableau has been dealt.  The reserve area is located at the upper left hand corner of the window.  Cards in the reserve may be moved onto cards in the tableau, or moved up into the foundations.


Foundations

The foundations consists of the four areas to the right of the reserve area.  Cards are placed on the foundation in incrementing numerical order, by suit, starting with the Aces.