XI

THE GATE (WITH ONE WHIST PACK)

DEAL out, face upwards, five cards in a column, then two rows of four cards each, then a second column of five cards, arranging the whole as is shown in diagram below:

THE GATE (original lay-out).

The two columns are the "posts" of the Gate; the eight cards that run across and between these form the two "bars." The only cards "exposed" in the posts are the lowest ones (7 of spades and 7 of hearts); the removal of either of these exposes the card next above it, and so on upwards.

In the bars, all the eight cards are "exposed," and are to be built upon in descending order in alternate colours. The posts are never built upon.

A space made in any part of a bar can be filled up at once from a post, but it is occasionally advisable to leave a card temporarily where it lies. When all building and moving that is possible has been done, fresh cards are dealt from stock to fill up the vacancies, dealing always in the same order as when the original board was laid out. All the vacancies that exist must be filled up before building and moving are resumed. Sequences may be shifted bodily in the bars whenever they will fit. Whenever the Gate is complete, and no building can be done on it, another card must be dealt from stock, and if this will not build it is laid face upwards, as well as any similar cards that are subsequently dealt, into a waste-heap. When all the stock is exhausted this waste-heap is utilised, keeping the order of cards unchanged, for dealing to fill up vacancies.

Aces are put out whenever "exposed," and are built upon upward according to suit. The top card of the waste-heap, as is usual, can always be used for building.

Starting from the above lay-out, we will now illustrate the preceding description by playing a game completely through.

Put out the ace of clubs for a foundation. Build knave of hearts on queen of clubs, 10 of hearts on knave of spades. We have thus made three spaces in the bars; in the first space put the 7 of hearts, which exposes the ace of diamonds and enables us to put it out for a second foundation. Fill the other two spaces with 4 of diamonds and 5 of clubs; and put out 2 of diamonds on the ace.

Now we must deal from stock to fill up all vacancies and restore the Gate to its original form. For the right-hand post we deal downwards, in succession, the 7 of diamonds, ace of hearts, 8 of spades, 3 of hearts, 5 of spades. Now survey the lay-out again to see what further building can be done.

Put 5 of spades on 6 of hearts, 4 of diamonds on 5 of spades. Fill space in bar with 7 of spades. Build 6 of diamonds on 7 of spades, 5 of clubs on 6 of diamonds. Fill space in bar with queen of hearts; build on her the knave of clubs; and on him the 10 of diamonds. There is nothing to be gained by moving the 3 of hearts into the second bar.

Now fill up spaces again from stock. For the left-hand post we deal, in downward order, 3 of diamonds, 10 of spades, 8 of diamonds, queen of diamonds. Into the second bar, king of diamonds; and into the right-hand post the ace of spades. Resume building.

The ace of spades goes out for one third foundation. Build queen of diamonds on king of clubs; move knave of hearts and queen of clubs on to king of diamonds. Put 8 of diamonds into the space in second bar. Build 10 of spades on knave of hearts. This exposes the 3 of diamonds which goes out on to its foundation packet; but it is a point of fine judgment to leave the 4 of diamonds untouched for the present, as it may be imperatively needed for a black 3. Move the 5-of-clubs-to-7-of-spades sequence on to the 8 of diamonds, and the 10 of hearts, knave of spades, on to the queen of diamonds.

Now we can shift 3 of hearts and 8 of spades into the bars, and so expose the ace of hearts, which is put out for our last foundation. Build the 7 of diamonds on the 8 of spades.

Deal again from stock to fill vacancies. For the left-hand post we get 6 of clubs, 4 of clubs, 2 of clubs, 3 of spades; for the right-hand post, 10 of clubs, 6 of spades, 3 of clubs, 2 of hearts, knave of diamonds.

Build the 3 of spades on 4 of diamonds. Put out the 2 of clubs. No more building being here possible, we deal out the 7 of clubs and 5 of hearts, in downward order, to fill the vacancies in the left-hand post. Being again at a standstill, we continue dealing from stock. The 9 of hearts is useless, and therefore begins our waste-heap, the king of spades follows and shares a like fate. The 9 of diamonds is dealt and goes on 10 of spades. The 8 of hearts is dealt and goes to waste. Then the 9 of spades is dealt, and goes on the 10 of hearts; we can now shift the 5-of-clubs-to-8-of-diamonds sequence on to the 9 of spades, and we get the long-desired space for the knave of diamonds, enabling us to put out the 2 of hearts and 3 of clubs which have been blocked.

Build 6 of spades on 7 of diamonds, 5 of hearts on 6 of spades, 10 of clubs on knave of diamonds. Put out the 3 of hearts. Move 7 of clubs into the top-bar space. Put out the 4, 5, 6, and 7 of clubs.

Now deal again; into the left-hand post the queen of spades, 5 of diamonds, 8 of clubs, 2 of spades; into the top bar the 4 of spades; into the right-hand post the 4 of hearts and 9 of clubs, which exhaust the stock. We therefore complete the post with the 8 of hearts, king of spades, and 9 of hearts (in order) from the waste-heap.

The end of our task is now in sight. Put out the 2, 3, 4 of spades. Build 9 of hearts on 10 of clubs, and 8 of clubs on 9 of hearts. Put out 4, 5, 6 of diamonds, and 5 of spades. Build 7 of hearts on 8 of clubs. Move king of spades into the top bar. Move the 5-of-hearts-to-8-of-spades sequence on to the 9 of diamonds.

Now the 8 of hearts will go into the bar; the 9 of clubs builds on to the 10 of diamonds; the 4 of hearts goes out; and all the rest is easy.

It must not be imagined that every game will run as smoothly as the above. Sometimes the cards fall very awkwardly. No second deal from the waste-heap is allowed, and you may often find progress hopelessly impeded.

There is a still harder variety of the game in which each bar consists of three cards only, instead of four. Those who like troublesome propositions may try it in this form. The rules for procedure are exactly the same.