Autumn Leaves 2007

Autumn Leaves is a type of Solitaire: a single player card game. It is easy to learn and very satisfying to play. Take one deck, shuffle, then deal out 22 cards[.]

The aim of the game is to sort out the four suits and get them each into order. There are only six rules that you need to know [...]:

Rule 1: You can move any card from the top of one pile onto the top of another pile if the suits match and the card being moved is of a lower number (Aces are low).

Rule 2: When there are no more face-up cards on a pile, turn the topmost face-down card face-up.

Rule 3: Any card can be placed in an empty pile.

Rule 4: A descending run of cards in the same suit can be moved as a block.

Rule 5: At any time you may deal out the next 6 of the left-over cards: one onto each pile.

Rule 6: The game is won if each of the four suits is gathered together into a run from King down to Ace. If such a position cannot be reached, then the game is lost.

"Finally, you may wonder why the game is called Autumn Leaves. It is because of the way that the cards flutter back and forth between the piles during play. For me, this adds a sense of peace to the game. I find it strategically and tactically interesting, and yet at the same time I find it rather peaceful and meditative. I hope you do too."