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


Rules For Playing This Game

The Layout

Five cards are dealt face up and placed in the shape of a cross.  These cards are called the tableau.

After dealing cards to the tableau, one card is placed in the upper left hand corner of the cross to form the foundation.  The other foundations must be the same rank as the corner card and should be placed in the other corners as they become available.

The hand is placed to the left of the tableau an foundations.  The waste pile is located below the hand

The Object of the Game

The object is to clear away the entire tableau by building the cards upon the foundations therefore creating a "Vanishing Cross."

Valid Moves

Cards from the hand are turned face up one at a time.  These cards can be played either on the foundations or the tableau.  If the card is unplayable at the time, it is placed in the waste pile.

Cards may be built onto the tableau in descending order regardless of suit.  The tableau cards may be built onto each other.  Only one card at a time may be moved from the to of a pile.  Spaces may be filled by available cards from the tableau, waste pile, or the hand.  The top cards in the tableau are always available for play onto the foundations.

The foundations are to be built up in suit until each pile has thirteen cards, aces following kings.

Winning the Game

The game is won when all the cards have been built into the corners by suit.

 Click here for strategy tips


Strategy Tips For This Game

Always attempt to move cards out of the tableau onto other cards as soon as possible.  Do not flip the next card until there are no more cards that can be moved.

Move cards off the tableau piles onto the foundation (the corners) at the earliest possible opportunity.

It is always preferable to play a card immediately onto the foundation instead of the tableau.

Note that sometimes it is possible to shuffle cards from one pile to another in order to free up a card that can be played on a foundation.  Example:  a 5 of clubs sits on a 6 of diamonds, and there is a 6 of hearts showing elsewhere in the tableau.  If a 5 of diamonds sits on a foundation, it is possible to move the 5 of clubs over to the 6 of hearts to open up the 6 of diamonds, so that it can be played upon the 5 of diamonds in the foundation.


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 "Undo" menu option allows the player to take back and change a move.

* 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 waste pile 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 five stacks of cards placed in the shape of a cross.  The cards in the tableau are 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


Hand

The hand consist of the remaining cards once the layout has been dealt.


Contents

Welcome to Vanishing Cross Solitaire from Rhode Island Soft Systems, Inc.!

Vanishing Cross is an enjoyable solitaire card game played with a single, standard deck of 52 playing cards.  Vanishing Cross is a simple game to understand and play, but difficult to beat.  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 Tip For This Game

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

Receiving Additional Card Games

Contacting Rhode Island Soft Systems, Inc.


Waste pile

The waste pile is a pile of cards laid aside as unwanted or unplayable.  The top card of the waste pile is always available for play.


Foundations

The foundation consists of four cards, the last three cards must be of the same rank as the card in the first foundation.  The cards must be placed in the foundation row as soon as available:  they may not be built or built upon in the tableau.  Each foundation must be built up in the same suit in ascending sequence, the sequence in the suit being continuous, ace going on king, and so on.