Scorpion, deal #21

Deal #21 is one of the easier deals in this series. Our solver won it in a line of 53 moves, so it can certainly be won.

Notes on this deal

• 2 Kings are face down. Buried Kings can only leave for an empty column; plan for the space they will need.
• Simply playing the most promising move each time wins this deal, so it makes a good warm-up.
• 6 useful moves are open from the start. Prefer the ones that turn over a card or free an Ace.
• At one point the solver moves a run of 18 cards in one go.

Stuck? The solver's first moves

These are the first moves of the solver's winning line, with automatic moves to the foundations switched on.

#	Card	From	To
1	8♠ +3	column 4	9♠, column 5
2	A♣ +2	column 1	2♣, column 6
3	8♣ +5	column 5	9♣, column 3
4	J♣ +2	column 5	Q♣, column 3
5	8♦ +12	column 3	9♦, column 5
6	9♦ +13	column 5	10♦, column 1

Scorpion in a nutshell

Build down in suit; any face-up card moves with everything on it, and only Kings go into empty columns. Finished King-to-Ace runs leave the table. The three stock cards are dealt once.

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