OBJECTIVE OF FOURSQUARE: Create a 4×4 grid of cards all face up
NUMBER OF PLAYERS: 1 player
NUMBER OF CARDS: 40 cards
RANK OF CARDS: (low) Ace – 10 (high)
TYPE OF GAME: Solitaire
AUDIENCE: Adults
INTRODUCTION OF FOURSQUARE
Foursquare is an abstract strategy game that uses a stripped 52 card deck. Created by Wil Su, Foursquare was inspired by Poker Squares, Reversi, and Lights Out. In this game, players are trying to build a 4×4 grid of cards in which all of the cards are face up. Play the cards wrong, and too many will be face down. When this occurs, the game is lost.
Will designed this game with a light theme in mind. For the thematic elements and more solitaire games, check out the collection here.
THE CARDS & THE DEAL
Beginning with a standard 52 card deck, remove all of the face cards. These will not be used. The remaining 40 cards are ranked (low) Ace – 10 (high). Shuffle the cards and hold the deck face down in one hand. This deck is referred to as the stock.
THE PLAY
PLACING CARDS
Begin the game by drawing the top card from the stock and placing it face up anywhere on the table to begin your grid. Following cards that are drawn can either be placed adjacent to a previously played card or on top of a previously played card. Piles can have no more than four cards on them, and the grid can be no bigger than four rows and four columns (4×4).
FLIPPING CARDS
After placing a card on the grid, if the card is the highest or lowest card in the row, flip the top card of every pile in the row over. If all of the cards in the row are face down, then this rule automatically applies, and all of the top cards are flipped up. If there are other cards of the same rank in the row, then the card played is not considered higher or lower than those cards.
Next, check the column in which the card was placed. Is it the highest or lowest ranking card? If it is, flip over all of the cards in that column.
Continue play as described until the game is won or lost.
LOSING THE GAME
If the grid has more than four cards face down after playing a card, the game is lost. The game is also lost if the stock runs empty.
WINNING
If the player has 16 cards face up at the end of a turn, the game is won. The remaining cards in the stock are the score.
- TRIPLE SNAKES - February 15, 2021