# Hamilton

Written by Timothy Goodwin

## Setup

Type of Deck | Standard Deck
Stock | Top left pile. The rest of the deck is placed here after dealing the Tableau. The first three cards may be turned over one at a time to Chooser. After choosing a Start card, clicking on Stock deals one card face up to each pile in the Tableau.
Chooser | Top left, next to Stock. While the Start card is being chosen, clicking Stock deals the top card face up to Chooser. The card in Chooser can be moved to a Foundation. Or if Stock is clicked again, it is returned face down to the bottom of Stock, and the next card moved to Chooser.
Foundation | Four piles top right. To be built up in suit from the chosen Start card to King, then Ace to the card with value one less than the Start Card.

Tableau

Seven piles. Deal one card face up to each pile. Start the second row on the second pile in the Tableau, and deal one card face up to each pile except the first. Repeat, till there are seven cards in the last pile. The Tableau can be built down by matching color. Groups of cards in order and in suit can be moved. Empty piles can be filled by any card or group of cards in order and in suit.

## Goal

Move all cards to the Foundation piles.

## Rules

To start the game, one card is flipped over from the Stock to the Chooser. This card can be moved to a Foundation, in which case it is the Start card for this game. Otherwise, the card in the Chooser is returned face down to the bottom of the stock, and the next card flipped over from Stock to Chooser. If none of the first three cards is chosen, the game is over. Double clicking on the Chooser will move the card there to a Foundation.

Cards in the Tableau are built down by color. A King may be placed on an Ace (unless the Start card is Ace). Groups of cards that are in suit can be moved. An empty pile in the Tableau can be filled with any card, or with a group of cards that are in order and all the same suit.

Foundations are built up in suit from the Start card to King, then Ace, Two, and so on to one less than the Start card. For example, if the Start card is Seven, the Foundations are built up from Seven to King, Ace to Six. Cards in Foundations are still in play.

A group of cards that are in order and all the same suit can be moved to a Foundation in a single move. Double clicking on a pile in the Tableau will move all possible cards from that pile to the Foundation.

## Scoring

Each card removed scores one point.

Maximum possible score: 52

## Strategy

Choose wisely. If you cannot move to the Foundation all visible cards of the Start value, you are unlikely to win. An empty slot in the Tableau is invaluable.

## Dedication

This game is dedicated to, and named for, my father: Geoffrey Hamilton Goodwin (b. 1937). He taught me many patience (or solitaire) games; we both consider Hamilton the most interesting single-pack game.

## References

This game is found under the name Agnes in the book Games of Patience by Basil Dalton, London 1924.