XXV

THE HARP¹ (WITH TWO WHIST PACKS)

DEAL out a row of nine cards, the first eight face downwards, the ninth face upward. Underneath these deal eight cards, facing the last one in a similar manner. Underneath these, seven cards in the same way, and so on down to the foot of the harp. The lay-out will now appear as shown in the following diagram:

As the aces appear, set them apart, above "the harp," as foundation cards, to be built upon in ascending sequence of the same suit. In the above diagram the ace of clubs can be so removed, and the card next above it must then be exposed; this we will suppose to be the queen of hearts. The 2 of clubs is removed and placed upon the ace, its removal allowing of the exposure of the other card in the eighth "harp string," which, we will say, is the 6 of clubs. We now build up the nine exposed cards upon each other, as far as possible, in descending sequence of alternate colours, facing in every case the card next above the one which we remove. Thus we place queen of hearts on king of clubs, exposing 8 of diamonds, 5 of hearts on 6 of clubs, exposing king of diamonds, 7 of clubs on 8 of diamonds, exposing 4 of spades.

If any card at foot of a "harp string" can at any time feed the foundation packets, they are used for that purpose; but as nothing of this kind can here be done at present, we go on dealing from the rest of the pack (the "stock"), building on the foundation packet or packets in ascending suit sequence, and on the "harp strings" (but see caution infra) in descending sequence of alternate colours, as before. The cards which we do not build with are thrown aside to form the rubbish-heap. When stock is exhausted, the rubbish-heap is taken up to be re-dealt as stock, and this is done three times, after which the game is at an end. In dealing from stock in the earlier part of the game, the board must be built upon very sparingly, otherwise the concealed cards will never be freed. Sequences cannot in general be transferred bodily in this game; only one card may be moved at a time. But an exception is permitted in the case of a board sequence based on a king. If a vacant space should occur in the board, such a sequence may be moved as a whole into the vacant space, setting another card free in the column from which it is moved. A single king, if there be one exposed on the board, can also be moved into a vacant place. If there be no such king, nor a king sequence, the vacancy must  be filled at once with the top card of the "stock," whatever it may be. It is a difficult game to bring to a successful issue. When completed, the cards should lie in eight packets, each of the same suit.

¹ See "Chinaman," Game No. XIX, p. 78.