Back in about 1995, I began trying to figure out if it was possible to design a solitaire game that was mostly strategic, having very little to do with how the cards were dealt. A Farewell to Kings is the result of my pondering. I’m not a statistician, but it seems the majority of deals can be won.
In 1996, I began programming. I’ve added a little bit here and there so that it’s finally ready to be “released”. This is a very enjoyable and unique solitaire game. I’m sure you’ll like it!
A Farewell to Kings is licensed as a shareware program, which means you are allowed to try it before you buy it. If you use this program beyond the two week trial period, you are required to register your copy. The registration fee is only $5 (US). There is more information on the software and shareware license at the end of these instructions.
To register, you can use the ‘Register’ program that came with the game. The ‘Register’ program accepts credit cards, checks and cash through mail, email or fax. Processing takes about a week, after which you’ll receive your registration code. Registering will stop the register window from opening automatically and will remove the *Unregistered* window title.
You may also register online at:
https://order.kagi.com/?U8N (SSL Server)
http://order.kagi.com/?U8N (Standard Server)
How to Play
A Farewell to Kings appears to be a totally unique concept of solitaire. The setup and play are unlike anything else I’ve seen. You might want to forget everything you knew about solitaire and get ready for a very interesting challenge. If you get confused, take a look at the sample games.
The game begins by placing the four kings horizontally in the center of a playing grid. The rest of the cards are then shuffled and four cards are drawn. These four cards are your “hand”. The remaining cards will be drawn into the hand as needed: whenever your hand is empty or whenever all the cards in your hand are unplayable. (Four unplayable cards is rare, but it’s one way to lose the game.) When more cards are needed, just click any empty space in the hand to deal more cards.
One at a time, in any order, cards are moved from your hand to the grid according to two basic rules:
1. The card played must be placed in the grid adjacent horizontally or vertically to at least one other card, and
2. The card played must match all adjacent cards in either suit or rank. (Clubs match clubs, jacks match jacks, etc.)
For example, in the diagram above, the only legal play at position “1” would be the nine of hearts. (It matches suit with the ace of hearts and the seven of hearts. It also matches rank with the nine of diamonds.) Likewise, position “2” would only accept the three of hearts.
The goal of placing cards in the grid is to arrange them in “books”. A book is composed of four cards of a single rank arranged in a square (a rectangle, actually). Completing books is the object of the game.
The diagram above shows a completed book of fives.
Books are removed from the grid in sequence. (I.e. once the four aces are formed into a book, they are removed from the grid and taken out of play. Then a book of twos may be removed, etc.)
Books may be completed out of sequence, but those books cannot be removed from the board until all the lower ranking books have been removed first.
On occasion, the removing of a book from the grid will leave one card (or possibly more) in the grid non-adjacent to any other cards. These single, unattached cards are called “orphans”. Any orphaned cards must be moved immediately another place in the grid according to the same two rules described above. In very rare circumstances an orphan (or orphans) will be unplayable, which results in a loss.
The diagram above shows a queen that has been orphaned.
Removing all twelve books from the grid (ace through queen) wins the game and the kings are automatically removed from the grid. (Hence the name of the game.)
Examining the sample games that are included should help clarify any confusion.
“Secret” Features
There’s a set of very valuable features you only find out about by reading these instructions. Specifically, if you hold down Shift, Option or Command while clicking and holding a card in the hand, the grid will “highlight” to show you some helpful information.
The Shift-click combination will highlight all the legal moves for that card.
The Option-click combination will highlight cards of the same rank.
The Command click combination will highlight cards of the same suit.
Note: these combinations can also be used on orphaned cards!
Game Menus
There are a few options in Game Options… under the File menu.
The Easy game Difficulty allows you to remove books in any order. (You don’t have to remove the aces first.) Once you get the hang of playing, the Easy game is really too easy.
The Deck choice switches between two different sets of card faces. The standard face looks more like a real deck of cards. Some people might find the bland deck a little easier to look at.
The Grid Size is pretty much what it sounds like. Choosing a grid smaller than the normal size increases the difficulty of the game significantly.
Changing the Kings Start In location provides some variety. Starting the kings in the Corners makes a nearly impossible game, but if the first several cards are just right, you can sometimes win. Random places the four kings randomly. Selecting Custom lets you place the four kings wherever you like before starting the game.
The Defaults button will reset the options to the “factory” settings. New Game accepts the settings and starts a new game. Cancel takes you back to where you were without changing anything.
Also under the File menu are choices for New Game, Open…, Save…, and Quit. These behave as you’d expect. (With one note: when quitting, you will not be asked to save if you have a game in progress. Why? Because I know sometimes you shouldn’t be playing games and you need to quit in a hurry!)
Strategy
It seems to me that this game can be won a good majority of the time. Almost always, when you realize you’ve lost, you also realize what you could have done differently.
Here’s some of the pitfalls to avoid:
1. Don’t keep your cards close together early in the game. Try to spread out as far as possible. This gives you more “breathing room”. Specifically, make straight lines of cards away from the kings as soon as possible. This will keep your options open for as long as possible.
2. Learn how to plan ahead which cards will be orphaned, and when. In most games, you will have at least two books that are completed by cards that have been orphaned (sometimes several times). Remember that cards of lower rank must always be removed first, so attaching a five to a book of jacks will never result in the five being orphaned, since the fives must be removed before the jacks.
3. If you draw several cards of the same suit on the first or second hand, in general it’s good to play the higher card first, and then the lower card. This is because the lower cards will need to be completed into books first (which will, in turn, open up room to complete the books for the cards of higher rank).
4. Be careful how you complete your books. You may be placing your books nicely and everything might look like it’s falling into place, but often, reversing the placement of two cards can be the difference between winning and losing. (See below:)
The diagram above shows a losing situation. The book of fours cannot be completed because the four of spades (which needs to go in the empty spot) cannot be placed next to the five of hearts (it doesn’t match either rank or suit). Depending on which came first, either the five of hearts and the five of spades should have been reversed, or the four of hearts should have been played adjacent to the five of hearts.
5. All the suits are not equal, especially early in the game. The clubs and diamonds have much less freedom than the spades and hearts. If you get multiple diamonds or clubs on the first few hands, it is sometimes wise to leave either the top side or the bottom side of the four kings “open” in case you get a difficult run of clubs or diamonds in the next hand or two.
6. Patience. By no means is this game easily mastered. Some of the pitfalls are very subtle and require experience to foresee and avoid. This really does give A Farewell to Kings more in common with strategy games like Chess or Go than it with “normal” solitaire.
Thanks for playing!
-Rob
SOFTWARE LICENSE AGREEMENT and TERMS OF USE
AUTHOR: Rob D. Steward
SOFTWARE: The A Farewell to Kings program, documentation, programming code, examples, samples, images, and/or any other such related files associated with A Farewell to Kings.
This License Agreement is a legal agreement between you (either an individual or a single entity) and AUTHOR for the software named above. By installing, copying, or otherwise using the SOFTWARE, you agree to be bound by the terms of this License Agreement. If you do not agree to the terms of this License Agreement, do not install or use the SOFTWARE. You may, however, return it for a full refund.
Shareware
The SOFTWARE is not free and is specifically designated as Shareware. You are licensed to use this software for evaluation purposes without charge for a period of two weeks. If you use the SOFTWARE after the two week evaluation period a registration fee is required. When the fee is received you will be sent registration information.
Limitations
You may not resell or otherwise transfer for value, rent, lease, or lend the SOFTWARE.
You may not reverse engineer, decompile, or disassemble the SOFTWARE.
Export Restrictions
You agree that you do not intend to or will not, directly or indirectly, export or transmit the SOFTWARE to any country to which such export or transmission is restricted by any applicable U.S. regulation or statute.
Limited Warranty
To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, AUTHOR disclaims all warranties and conditions, either express or implied, including, but not limited to, implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, title and non-infringement, with regard to the SOFTWARE, and the provision of or failure to provide support services.
Limitation of Liability
To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, in no event shall AUTHOR be liable for any special, incidental, indirect, or consequential damages whatsoever (including, without limitation, damages for loss of business profits, business interruption, loss of business information, or any other pecuniary loss) arising out of the use of or inability to use the SOFTWARE or the provision of or failure to provide support services, even if AUTHOR has been advised of the possibility of such damages. In any case, AUTHOR’s entire liability under any provision of this License Agreement shall be limited to the amount actually paid by you for the SOFTWARE.
Copyright
All title and copyrights in and to the SOFTWARE, the accompanying printed materials, and any copies of the SOFTWARE are owned by AUTHOR. The SOFTWARE is protected by copyright laws and international copyright treaties, as well as other intellectual property laws and treaties.
Distribution
You may distribute any Shareware version of the SOFTWARE to anyone as long as you follow each and every one of the following:
1. You distribute only exact, unmodified, unregistered copies of the original software.
2. You distribute all the accompanying documentation, instructions, Read Me’s, samples, registration programs and/or any other associated files in their exact, unmodified, original form.
3. You do not monetarily charge or otherwise request any compensation for any copy, however made, without prior permission from AUTHOR.
Miscellaneous
With respect to technical information you provide, AUTHOR may use such information for its business purposes, including for product support and development. AUTHOR will not utilize information in any manner that personally identifies you.
This License Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of Idaho.
