Cards left 48Stock 47Best –
How to play
Goal
Move all 52 cards onto the four home rows.
How it works
- The four home rows start with an Ace, 2, 3 and 4. The first row builds up by one (A, 2, 3, 4…), the second by two (2, 4, 6, 8…), the third by three (3, 6, 9, Q…), the fourth by four (4, 8, Q, 3…). After the King it wraps round to the Ace.
- The card in your hand comes from the stock. Tap a home row to play it there if it fits, or tap one of the four waste piles underneath to put it away.
- Tapping a home row when your card does not fit plays the top of a waste pile instead, if one fits.
- You win when all four rows are complete. If the stock runs out and nothing fits, your score is the cards left over.
Tips
- Keep the waste piles in a sensible order, with the cards you will need soonest on top.
- Do not bury the next card a row needs: it should stay on top of a pile.
- Spread low and high cards across the piles rather than stacking one pile deep.
The history of Calculation
Calculation is a patience game that has been played since at least the nineteenth century, usually in Britain. It is also called Broken Intervals, after its odd stepping of the four rows. It rewards planning rather than luck.