In the world of solitaire, a tableau refers to the main playing area where you arrange the cards. It's the central focus of the game, where you build stacks of cards and work towards moving them to the foundations.
Here's a breakdown of what a tableau entails:
- Arrangement: Each tableau typically starts with a specific number of face-down cards, with the top card face-up. The number of cards and their arrangement can vary depending on the specific solitaire game you're playing.
- Building: You build stacks of cards in descending order and alternating colors (black on red, red on black). This means you can place a red 8 on a black 9, for example.
- Moving Cards: You can only move the top card of a tableau stack, unless the entire stack is built in descending order and alternating color.
For example:
In Klondike Solitaire, the most popular version, you start with seven tableau piles, each with a different number of face-down cards, with the top card face-up. The aim is to move cards from the tableau to the foundations, which are four piles built in ascending order by suit (Ace to King).
Understanding the tableau is crucial to playing solitaire effectively. It's where you'll spend most of your time strategizing and making moves.
