Simple Pleasures Hints & Strategy ================================= Keyboard Shortcuts ------------------ B = Blank the screen D = Deal (in 14's only) H = Hint M = Exit to main menu N = Deal a new hand S = Redeal same hand U = Undo X = Exit to DOS F1 or ? = Help F2 or O = Options F10 = Abort (Exit to DOS without saving the data file) An Undo Secret -------------- The undo button has a special feature that can come in handy in games such as 10's, 11's, and 15's, which frequently come to an impasse early in the game. If you click the right mouse button on the undo button, all possible moves will be undone at once. 10's Hints & Strategy --------------------- This is a slightly-modified version of a standard solitaire sometimes known as "Take Ten". Because of the simplicity of the rules in this game, there is very little strategy involved - just remove as many cards as you can. There *is* a bit of judgment involved in knowing whether or not to attempt a particular hand. If there appears to be a good possibility of getting a high- card four-of-a-kind early in the game, or if there are abundant moves readily available, go for it. 11's Hints & Strategy --------------------- As in 10's, there is not a great deal of opportunity for strategy in this game. This is one game where you don't have to do a lot of thinking, and you are not kept waiting long to see if you win. Obviously, the J-Q-K triplets are most desirable * if one of those appear early on, you have a decent chance of coming out on top at the end of the game. 12's Hints & Strategy --------------------- This is an original game, somewhat reminiscent of a solitaire called "Fourteen Puzzle". This game is quite winnable, but requires a good deal of skill and forethought. It pays to take the time at the beginning of the game to examine the layout in detail and look for any possible problem areas. In particular, look for pairs of cards that reside in the same pile. Likewise, be careful of "criss-crosses", in which two piles contain two pairs, each having half of the other's pair on top. Most such problems can be worked around with sufficient planning. The winning percentage of this game is potentially very high -- if you have the patience. 13's Hints & Secrets -------------------- You might want to think of this original game as a "Tetris" solitaire, with cards falling instead of odd-shaped blocks. The key to success in "13's" is to be alert for matches that may "fall into place" when cards are removed from the layout. In general, I like to make most of my moves at the top of the columns first, removing lower cards only when there is a good reason for doing so. The center column is the most important of the three, since it can create pairs with both the left and right columns. The undo button can be used to "try out" different approaches, though some might regard this as cheating. The basic technique is to make a few moves (which lets you see what cards are next in the deck), then undo them and try removing pairs in a different order that may result in more favorable card placement. 14's Hints & Strategy --------------------- This is an original game, similar in some ways to "Ace's Up". Your chances of winning are fairly good, though success is by no means assured. The main element of strategy in this game revolves around the use of the two "spare" cards at the bottom of the layout. It is not always easy to decide when to play these cards. Since they can only be played once, it is probably best to hold off using them for as long as possible. On the other hand, don't be afraid to play them early in a hand if a profitable situation presents itself. Personally, my policy is to not play a spare unless I can gain something in the process (i.e. freeing up a buried card or creating a space). Speaking of spaces, they are absolutely critical to success in this game * create them as early and as often as possible. 15's Hints & Strategy --------------------- This is a slightly-modified version of a standard solitaire, and differs from the other games in Simple Pleasures in that the number of cards totaling fifteen is not fixed, but can be any number of cards. This creates a lot more possibilities in terms of how cards may be removed. When creating groups, in general give priority to the high cards (6, 7, 8, and 9), and save the lower cards for as long as possible. If you "use up" the lower-value cards too soon, you may end up with an impossible situation at the end of the game, even though you've exhausted the deck. As in "13's", the undo button can be very handy for experimenting with different approaches and card groupings. 16's Hints & Strategy --------------------- This is an original game, very similar to "Monte Carlo", though the strategy is a bit different. Since the tableau consolidates itself after each pair of cards is removed, it requires a measure of foresight to visualize how the layout will change with each move. The key to winning is to try and "line up" a number of pairs at the top of the layout, then watch out for criss-cross blocks. Once again, the undo button is invaluable in determining the correct strategic approach. 17's Hints & Strategy --------------------- This is an original game that is quite winnable, once you realize the correct strategy, which is the reverse of what you might expect. In most games, you'd try to "build down" piles as quickly as possible, but in this game it seems to work best if you make removing the three center cards your top priority. The purpose of this is to get as many cards as possible out into the open, where you can work out your strategy with no hidden cards to complicate your plans.