Eight Off Help

Eight Off is FreeCell style game with the main difference being that there are eight free cells but you can only build columns in descending sequence of the same suit.

Layout

Eight Off uses a single deck of 52 cards. The are eight tableau piles (columns) with eight Free Cells and four foundation piles placed above them. Initially, 48 cards are dealt to the tableau (6 per column) and the remaining 4 are dealt to the first four free cells.

Object

The object of the game is to build up all cards on the four foundation suits from Ace to King. Each foundation must contain the same suit. When all 52 cards are moved there (13 per foundation), you win the game.

Rules

Top cards of tableau piles and cards from Cells are available to play.

You can build tableau piles by moving cards there in order from highest (King) to lowest (Ace) of the same suit.

Only one card at a time can be moved. However, as a shortcut, you may move more than one card (if in sequence), provided there are enough free cells (and/or empty columns) that would have allowed the same result with multiple moves. The mouse cursor will change to a hand over those cards that are valid to move. If you move more than one card at once, it is only counted as one move as far as the number of moves per deal is concerned.

The top card of any tableau pile can also be moved to any Cell. Each Cell (or Reserve space) may contain only one card.

Cards in the cells can be moved to the foundation piles or back to the tableau piles, if possible.

You may move any exposed card (or sequence of cards if enough free cells) to an empty column.

Auto Play

Checking the "Auto Play" check box (in Preferences) will cause the program to automatically play any cards that it can to the foundations.

Input Tips

Clicking any exposed card at the bottom of column will move it to a foundation (if possible) else to a free cell, if there is one. Clicking a card on a free cell will move it to a foundation (if possible).

When dragging a card to another column, you can just drop the card anywhere on the column (not necessarily on the exposed card at the bottom).