Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Gamer



Is Crystal Golf Solitaire always amenable to resolution? The answer is no. I can imagine at least one game configuration that isn’t. Notice there are five rows of seven cards displayed, and the pack at the bottom has one showing and twenty down. This ads up to 56 which is indeed the 52 plus 4 jokers.
Theoretically, one might well have 7 non-adjacent cards on the bottom row: for example Ace,3,5,7,9,Jack and King of Spades. The twenty-one of the bottom pack could be these same values in Hearts, Diamonds and Clubs. All the jokers being on the upper table, nothing would move.
There is, then, an element of chance to the game although one’s skill does improve with play. I don’t believe in trying to memorize cards : where is the fun in that? I do find myself taking an increasingly long view, setting myself up for long runs in the future. Doesn’t always materialize as planned but my scores are getting better. It is a matter of leaving one’s comfort zone.
The game, at casual level, is charmingly simple; but sites do warn is is perhaps the most addictive game of all. I’m in!

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