Copyright: Montana Solitaire ® 1995 Steve Schroedl


Contents
Overview

Rules of the game

Playing the game

Scoring

Options

Keyboard shortcuts

Contacting the author

Registering

Credits


Overview

Montana Solitaire for Windows is a single-deck solitaire card game involving both luck and strategy. While every game is winnable, the challenge is to win in the fewest number of moves and shuffles.

All 52 cards are dealt face-up into four rows. The Aces are then removed, leaving four random gaps in the layout.

The game is played by moving cards into the gaps. As each card is moved, it leaves a new gap behind it.

To win the game, arrange each row in ascending rank order from Deuce to King of the same suit, with a gap at the far right of each row.

Example: Starting a new game

Example: Partially completed game


Starting a new game
Example: Starting a new game

In the example above, the following moves exist:

    •  Any of the Deuces may move to the gap in row 1
    •  The 10 of diamonds will move behind the 9 of diamonds
    •  The 8 of hearts will move behind the 7 of hearts

To move a card, just click on it. The card will move to the appropriate gap, leaving behind a new gap into which a card may be moved.

Once a Deuce is moved to the first column, it is considered in home position. As cards of the same suit are moved in sequence behind a Deuce, they are also in home position. The game is over when all cards are in home position.

Example: Partially completed game


Partially completed game
Example:  Partially Completed Game

In the partially completed game above, the shaded cards are in home position. The only remaining gaps follow Kings, so no further moves are possible. Clicking the Shuffle! command on the menu bar will cause the cards that are not in home position to be picked up, shuffled together with the Aces, and redealt. The Aces will be removed, leaving four new gaps, and the game continues until all cards are in order by suit.


Rules
Rules of the Game

•	The deck is dealt into 4 rows of 13 cards each. The Aces are removed from the table, leaving four random gaps.

•	A gap may only be filled by the card which is next higher in rank and of the same suit as the card to the left of the gap. For example, a gap following a 7 of Hearts may only be filled by the 8 of Hearts.

•	A gap in the first space on the left side of a row may be filled by any Deuce.

•	A gap following a King cannot be filled. If all four gaps follow Kings, no moves are possible and you must Shuffle.

•	When a Deuce is in the first space on the left side of a row, it is in Home position. Any cards that follow it in the same suit and correct sequence are also in Home position.

•	At any point in the game, the cards may be Shuffled. Cards that are not in Home position will be picked up, shuffled together with the Aces, and redealt. Then Aces will again be removed, leaving four new gaps.

•	A maximum of 15 Shuffles is allowed.

•	The game is won when all cards are in Home position.


Playing the game

Using the mouse:

•	To move a card, just click on it with the mouse. If the card can be played, it will move to the appropriate gap.

•	To Shuffle, click on the Shuffle! menu item.

•	To take back a move, click on the Undo! menu item.

•	To start a new game, select New Game from the Game menu.

•	To restart the current game, select Restart Game from the Game menu.

•	To play a particular game, choose Select Game from the Game menu, then enter the desired game number.

Using the keyboard:

•	To move a card, use the arrow keys to position the pointer on a card. Press Enter or the Space Bar to move the card.

•	To Shuffle, press S.

•	To Undo a move, press U.

•	To start a new game, press F2.

•	To restart the current game, press F3.

•	To play a particular game, press F4, then enter the desired game number.


Scoring

•	Scoring is based on the number of Shuffles and Moves used to complete a game.

•	The Best Scores screen keeps track of both the Fewest Shuffles and Fewest Moves.

•	Fewest Shuffles keeps track of the games with the least number of shuffles. If the number of shuffles is the same, the game with the least moves is considered better.

•	Fewest Moves keeps track of the games with the least number of moves, regardless of the number of shuffles. If the number of moves is the same, the game with the least shuffles is considered better.

•	If a score qualifies for both Fewest Shuffles and Fewest Moves, it will appear under both headings.

What's a good score?

Montana Hall of Fame


Score Ratings
What's a good score?

What constitutes a good score?  Here's a suggestion for a rating scheme. There is no scientific basis for this, but it will give you an idea of what to expect:

Fewest Shuffles

  Shuffles     Rating           Chances

     0         Genius           Dang Near Impossible
     1         Master           Extremely rare
     2         Expert           1 in 100
     3         Above average    1 in 20
     4         Competent        1 in 5

Fewest Moves

   Moves       Rating           Chances

     70        Genius           Slim and None
     80        Master           Rare
     90        Expert           1 in 100
    100        Above average    1 in 20
    120        Competent        1 in 5

Montana Hall of Fame


Hall of Fame
Montana Hall of Fame

The best reported Montana scores, as of November 1995:

Fewest Shuffles

Game   Shuffles/Moves    By            From

20908    0   61    John Gouldie     Raleigh, NC
24503    0   73    Kelley Schroedl  Clayton, NC
10353    0   78    Tim Bodill       Burton-on-Trent, UK
19346    0   95    Stephen Weiss    Bethlehem, PA
26992    1   56    Tom Woodhouse    Waterford, MI
11598    1   74    R. T. Radford    Stillwater, OK

Fewest Moves

Game   Moves/Shuffles    By            From

26992   56    1    Tom Woodhouse    Waterford, MI
20908   61    0    John Gouldie     Raleigh, NC
 3516   66   13    David Jackino    Raleigh, NC
10675   68    3    Dale Cotton      Pickering, ON
19418   69    6    Kelley Schroedl  Clayton, NC
 4799   81    4    Phil Alexander   High Wycombe, UK

What kind of scores can you achieve? I'd love to hear your best scores and game numbers, and any comments you might have about the game.

Contacting the author


Contacting the author

If you have any problems, questions, suggestions, or comments regarding Montana Solitaire for Windows, please contact the author:

Steve Schroedl
2328 Hemlock Circle
Clayton, NC 27520

CompuServe: 75533,3601

E-mail: 75533.3601@compuserve.com


Options

Cards

Montana Solitaire for Windows has three styles of playing cards:

•	Small Cards are the default. They use the standard suit emblems (clubs, diamonds, hearts, spades).

•	Alternate Cards use colors (red, black, green, blue) instead of suit emblems. These cards will shrink or grow to fit the size of the window.

•	Big Cards are the same size and design as those in the solitaire game that comes with Microsoft Windows™. This option requires that you have the CARDS.DLL file that is distributed with the Microsoft Entertainment Pack™ or Microsoft Windows for Workgroups™. If CARDS.DLL is not installed on your system, the Big Cards option will be disabled.

Colors

You can customize the look of your Montana Solitaire for Windows screen using the standard color dialog box. You may select from 48 basic colors, or choose the Define Custom Colors button to create your own color.

•	Background will allow you to select the color of the background (i.e., the table on which the cards are played.

•	Home Card Shading will allow you to select the color which is applied to the cards that are in Home position. Note that many colors are not suitable for this purpose, as they will interfere with the card design.

•	Reset Factory Defaults will restore the Background and Home Card Shading colors to their original settings.


Keyboard shortcuts

•	S  	Shuffle

•	U  	Undo

•	F1 	Help

•	F2 	New Game

•	F3 	Restart Game

•	F4 	Select Game


Registering

Montana Solitaire for Windows is shareware. Try the game for a few weeks. If you decide to keep it, please register.

Registering by mail

Registering on CompuServe

Benefits of registering


Registering by mail

If you have a printer:

1 	Start the "Write" application in the Windows Accessories folder.

2 	Open the file REGISTER.WRI that is included as one of the files with this game. This file is the registration form.

3 	Fill in your name, address, and other information.

4 	Print the registration form.

5 	Enclose a check or money order drawn on a U.S. bank, payable to Steve Schroedl in the amount of $6.50 in U.S. funds.

6 	Mail the form and check to the address below.

If you have don't have a printer:

1 	Write a note indicating that you're registering Montana Solitaire. Include the following information:
    •  Your name as you would like it to appear on your registration
    •  Your mailing address
    •  Your Email address, if applicable
    •  The version of Montana Solitaire you have
    •  Where you obtained it from
    •  Any comments or suggestions you might have.

2 	Enclose a check or money order drawn on a U.S. bank, payable to Steve Schroedl in the amount of $6.50 in U.S. funds.

3 	Mail your note and check to the address below.

Send your registration to:

          Steve Schroedl
          2328 Hemlock Circle
          Clayton, NC 27520

Benefits of registering


Benefits of registering

In return for registering, you will receive a personal registration code keyed to your name.  Registering will provide the following benefits:

•	Additional winning quotations

•	A fully enabled Best Scores screen

•	Suppression of the registration reminder screen

•	Full product support

•	Automatic registration of future versions

•	A warm fuzzy feeling for doing the right thing.


Registering on CompuServe

As a convenient alternative to snail mail, CompuServe members may use the online shareware registration service. CompuServe will bill you the registration fee of $10, and your registration code will be sent to you via E-mail, usually within 24 hours or less.

Just GO SWREG and specify registration ID 4878.

Benefits of registering


Credits

This program is dedicated to the best Montana Solitaire player I know, Colleen Kelley Schroedl, my wife. I'm grateful for all the ideas and encouragement, and the many hours of testing and proof-reading. Not to mention the supreme sacrifice of letting me use her computer for hours on end.

Special thanks to my friend Dale Cotton for his coaching and technical help. Dale is the author of two excellent shareware products, King's Casino Solitaire, a suite of solitaire games, and Gegs, a scrambled word game.

Thanks to Reg Skelton for help with a particularly pesky screen redraw problem. Reg is the author of my other favorite solitaire game, Pile Solitaire.

Thanks also to Phil Alexander for his many useful suggestions.

Finally, a round of applause to my faithful quality assurance crew: John Gouldie, Gale Hawks, David Haygood, David Jackino, and Mike Martin. There's no telling how many hours of productive time you guys wasted testing my program. Get back to work!