Glossary of Patience Terminology

Cell

A reusable area of the tableau that can be used to store a single card for use later.

Closed

A closed game has some cards initially face down and hence unkonwn to the player.

Deal

The deal can refer to the initial layout of the cards, or to the action of adding more cards from the stock to the tableau.

Deck

During a game, the deck is known as the stock or talon. It is the remaining cards after the initial layout is dealt.

Foundation

The foundation is a place where cards that are removed from the game are put. Usually cards cannot be returned to the game from a foundation, and most patience games involve the removal of all cards from the deck or decks to one or more foundation.

Open

Open games have all cards dealt face up - there are no cards that are hidden, although in some cases not all cards have been dealt.

Patience

Patience is another name for solitaire. Patience games are card games played by a single player with playing cards.

Rank

The rank of a card is its number, or in the case of a picture card, it's title. King is usually the highest rank, followed by Queen and then Jack, then the numbers ending in the Ace. In some games, Ace is ranked higher than King.

Reserve

A reserve is a set of cards that are not part of play but may be added to the tableau at some point. Cards cannot usually be put back into reserve once removed.

Solitaire

Solitaire is another name for patience. Solitaire games, on this site, are card games played by a single player with playing cards. Solitaire is also another name for Klondike.

Stack

A stack is a sequence of cards built on the tableau, such that all are face up and known to the player. Many games involve stacking in some formation or other, some stack by rank, others by alternating colours (ie red on black and vice versa) and others only by suit and rank.

Stock

The stock, also known as the talon, is a pile of face down cards, usually those remaining after having dealt out the initial tableau.

Tableau

The tableau is the main play area of a patience game; the place where cards are moved and built upon. It can also refer to the initial layout of a game.

Talon

A talon is another name for a stock, being a pile of face down cards, usually those remaining after having dealt out the initial tableau.

Waste

Waste piles are stacks of cards that are usually dealt to directly as a part of the game. In most games, only the top card of any waste pile is available. Some games allow the redeal of the waste pile.