Pounce

This is our new favorite for playing with tween and teen grandchildren. It’s fast-paced and exciting. It’s easy to explain how to play if you know how to play Klondike solitaire, also known as Patience.

Each player must have his or her own deck of cards with a distinctive back. Players set up their cards as in Klondike solitaire, except that only five stacks are created. Next, nine cards are put face-up in a separate stack, with only the top card visible. This is called the Pounce stack. Remaining cards are placed in a stockpile. When the game begins, each player begins playing his or her own game of solitaire.

Aces are played in the middle of the table to create building piles that all players can play on. Cards from the Pounce stack can be played in either place, except for the last Pounce card, which must be played in the middle.

When a player has no plays, he or she goes through the stockpile, looking only at each third card.When any pile in the solitaire set-up is played out, the empty spot can be filled with a king from the Pounce stack or the stockpile.

Alternately, a stack with a king on the bottom can be moved to the empty spot so that the next face-down card in that spot can be turned over.When a player is able to play his or her last Pounce card, the player calls out “Pounce!” and all play ceases. The cards in the middle are split up and counted.

Players receive a point for each card played in the middle minus two points for any remaining Pounce card. Play continues in this fashion until a player reaches 100 points.