How to Play Somerset
Somerset is a quiet, thoughtful patience you can learn in one sitting. If you like single-player card puzzles, this guide will get you started — and you can find more from Playmore for other patience games.
| Quick facts | |
|---|---|
| Game | Somerset |
| Family | British patience |
| Players | 1 (single-player) |
| Deck | 52-card standard deck (full deck) |
| Objective | Build suit foundations and arrange tableau piles under rank and color restrictions |
What you are trying to do
Somerset asks you to move every card to suit foundations while managing a small tableau. You will uncover blocked cards, create legal sequences, and free cards to place on the foundations. Exact building rules and allowed moves can vary by version, so check the authoritative rules for the version your group uses.
What you need and how to set up
You need one full, normal 52-card deck. No special cards are required. Find a flat surface and lay out space for a tableau, a stock, a waste (if used), and suit foundations.
Setup varies by source. A common beginner layout places several tableau piles face up with the remaining cards forming a face-down stock. Do the initial deal your set of rules describes. If you don’t know which layout to use, start small: deal 6 small tableau piles and keep the rest face down as a stock to draw from. Remember to check the official or regional rules for the exact layout used in your version.
How to play
- Turn over the top card from the stock to a waste pile if your version uses a stock and waste. Some versions let you draw one or three cards; follow your chosen rules.
- Move any available card to a foundation if it fits that foundation’s building rule. Foundations are built by suit in Somerset variants. Exact starting ranks and direction can differ, so confirm with your rule source.
- Within the tableau, move single cards or legal sequences according to the game’s rank and color restrictions. In most versions you will only be allowed certain rank steps or color patterns; treat this as a locked rule and follow the version you chose.
- When you move a card and expose a face-down card in a tableau pile, turn it face up immediately if your rules allow that. Exposed cards increase your options.
- Use empty tableau spaces strategically. Rules about what can fill an empty spot vary. Pick a consistent house rule before you start if you’re not using an authoritative version.
- Repeat drawing from the stock and rearranging tableau cards until you can place all cards on foundations or no legal moves remain. Some versions allow redeals or passes; check your rule set.
How a round or game ends
A round ends when all cards are on the foundations (you win) or when no legal moves remain and no more stock draws or redeals are allowed (you lose). Some versions track how many redeals or passes you used. Scoring and allowed redeals are version-dependent, so check the exact rules your group prefers.
Beginner tips
- Expose hidden cards quickly. Turning face-down cards increases choices and reduces blocking.
- Prioritize moves that open tableau piles rather than short-term sequences that lock space.
- Think ahead before moving a long sequence. Make sure you aren’t sealing a vital card under an immovable run.
- Use empty spaces carefully; they are valuable for reorganizing multiple cards at once.
- Agree on the exact version before you start. Different rules change strategy a lot.
FAQ
Can I move sequences or only single cards?
That depends on your version. Some Somerset rules let you move whole sequences if they follow rank and color restrictions, while other versions limit you to single-card moves. Check the version you play.
What fills an empty tableau space?
Different sources have different answers. Some allow any card, others only specific ranks. Pick the rule set you want to follow before starting.
Where can I find the exact official rules?
There is an authoritative rule reference for Somerset; consult that or your chosen rule source to learn exact starting ranks, redeals, and special cases for the version you want to play.