Agnes (card game)

Agnes is a patience or solitaire card game that is a variant of Klondike, but changes how the stock is dealt.

Agnes

A Patience game
The Agnes Bernauer layout
Family	Klondike-like
Deck	Single 52-card
See also Glossary of solitaire

Rules

Initial layout of the game of Agnes

The first 28 cards are dealt in the same way as in Klondike. Then a card is placed in the first of the four foundations. This card will be the first card of that foundation and all other cards with the same rank should be placed at the other three foundations.

Seven cards are then dealt in a row either above or below the tableau. This will act as the reserve. The cards in the reserve are available for play.

Playing the game is a lot like Klondike except that any gaps are filled in by a card a rank lower than the first card of the foundation. For instance, if the first card of each foundation is a 10, gaps are only filled by 9s. Foundations are built up by suit, while the columns on the tableau are built down in alternating colors, wrapping from Ace to King if necessary. When play is no longer possible on the tableau, any card on the reserve can be used to continue the game. Gaps in the reserve are not filled until a new set is dealt.

If the game cannot continue even from the reserve, a new set of seven cards is dealt from the stock to the reserve. The stock is good for two deals on the reserve with two cards left over. So after the third new deal and no more moves possible, the two left over cards are dealt as if they each have a reserve pile on their own.

The game is won when all cards have made their way to the foundations.

Variations

There are two versions of the game of Agnes, the one described above being Agnes Bernauer. In Agnes Sorel, the game is played the same way except that the cards in the tableau are built down by color (i.e. red suits on red, black suits on black), and spaces are not filled.

David Parlett gave both versions their separate names. Agnes Bernauer was created by Parlett, and named after the mistress of Albert III, Duke of Bavaria, whose father was unhappy with their relationship, and had Agnes drowned in the Danube River. Agnes Sorel has no connection to the woman of that name.

See also

• List of solitaires
• Glossary of solitaire