The objective of SLOTKER® Single Player Solitaire is to run the deck twice. In the first run of the deck, you must make at least one set of three matching poker card values (above the card suits) or three matching slot machine symbols (below the card suits). Then you run the deck a second time, and to win, you must make a higher-ranking 3-of-a-kind hand to beat your high hand from the first run of the deck.

In SLOTKER® Solitaire, a player has from 13 chances to 17 chances of making a 3-of-a-kind hand, in one run of the deck, depending on how many “replacement cards” are used, and it should only take a minute or two for a single run of the deck.

HERE’S THE DEAL:

With SLOTKER® Single-Player Solitaire, a player “runs through the deck” three consecutive times, with the goal of making one 3-of-a-kind set for each run through the deck, with the second run through the deck resulting in a higher ranking 3-of-a-kind set than the 3-of-a-kind set made in the first run. And the third run through the deck must result in a higher-ranking 3-of-a-kind set than the second run through the deck.

A “run through the deck” simply means, once the cards are shuffled, three cards are dealt at a time. If any three initial cards dealt make three of a kind (in poker card values or slot-machine symbols) that 3-card set is set aside. If two of the three cards dealt make a match(with two poker card values or two slot-machine symbols), the odd card is discarded and one more card is dealt with the chance of making a 3-of-a-kind hand.

If you fail to make any 3-of-a-kind hand in one complete run through the deck, then you lose that round.

Each time a new higher-ranking 3-of-a-kind set has been made, then that new higher-ranking 3-of-a-kind set is set aside, and the previous 3-card set is discarded (to be shuffled back into the deck for the next run through the deck).

Assuming one 3-of-a-kind set has been made in the first run through the deck, the second run through the deck will be shuffled and dealt with 49 SLOTKER® playing cards (the 52-card deck, minus the current high-ranking 3-of-a-kind set).

Likewise, assuming a new high-ranking 3-of-a-kind set has been made in the second run through the deck, the third run through the deck will also be shuffled and dealt with 49 SLOTKER® playing cards (the 52-card deck, minus the current high-ranking 3-of-a-kind set).

If the player makes a new higher-ranking set in the third run through the deck, then the player wins that round of SLOTKER® single-Player Solitaire, and it’s not necessary to deal any remaining cards from the deck!

SLOTKER® Single-Player Solitaire – FYI:

Whenever you deal the initial three cards for each hand, and two of them match, you only need to discard one card to draw for a third-matching card, if you will be drawing to make your first 3-of-a-kind set in your first run through the deck, or when making a new 3-of-a-kind set that could outrank a 3-of-a-kind set made in the previous run through the deck.  For example, if you’ve made 3 Cherries in the previous run, and you’ve dealt two Lemons, you shouldn’t draw for a third Lemon, since three Lemons won’t outrank the previously made hand with three Cherries.

Sometimes you will have two ways to draw. For example, you might have a hand like Orange-7-of-Spades, Orange-4-of-Clubs, and Cherries-4-of-Hearts. You could discard the Cherries-4-of-Hearts to draw for a third Orange. Or you could discard the Orange-7-of-Spades to draw for a third 4. The choice of which card to discard is up to the player.

Once you make your first 3-of-a-kind set in the first run through the deck, there is no need to continue to the end of the deck, so you set aside the first 3-of-a-kind set, then reshuffle the deck, minus the 3-card set made in the first run.

In the second run through the deck, you must make a higher-ranking set than made in the first run. So, if and once you make a higher-ranking set than from the first run, again, there is no need to continue to the end of the deck, so you set aside the new higher-ranking 3-of-a-kind set, then reshuffle the deck again, minus the 3-card set made in the second run.

In the third and final run through the deck, you only need to draw for a 3-of-a-kind set, if it can possibly outrank the set made in the second run.

And, if you should make three Aces in either the first or second run through the deck, then you automatically lose, since three Aces can’t be beat in your third and final run.

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SLOTKER® Multiplayer Solitaire – RULES – (2 or More Players)

HERE’S THE DEAL:

SLOTKER® Multiplayer Solitaire is played like SLOTKER® Single Player Solitaire, except each player takes a turn with one run through the deck.

This game can be played with or without an ante or bet.

The winner is the player with the highest-ranking 3-of-a-kind hand.