Grampus foundations build by ones or twos — know your target sequence before any card moves.

How Grampus works

One 52-card deck. At game start, four random cards are dealt to seed four foundations. Each foundation builds regardless of suit, and all four foundations use the same build mode (ones or twos — chosen at game start).

In ones mode (A-2-3-K): foundations build by incrementing rank by one, wrapping from King back to Ace as needed. If a foundation is seeded at 7, its sequence is 7-8-9-10-J-Q-K-A-2-3-4-5-6.

In twos mode (A-3-5-Q): foundations build by incrementing rank by two, skipping every other rank. If seeded at 5, its sequence is 5-7-9-J-K-2-4-6-8-10-Q.

The remaining 48 cards are dealt into eight tableau columns of six. Two reserve cells hold at most one card each. Reserve cards can only move to a foundation — not back to a tableau column. Stock deals one card at a time.

Choosing ones vs. twos mode

The choice between ones and twos mode is made at game start and applies to all four foundations. In ones mode, each foundation needs 13 consecutive ranks. In twos mode, each foundation takes every other rank, which creates a different distribution challenge: exactly half the ranks go to each foundation in a specific pattern.

Ones mode tends to be more intuitive since building by consecutive ranks is familiar from most solitaire games. Twos mode creates shorter rank clusters within each foundation sequence, which means the next needed card is often found faster — but the skip pattern can be harder to track mentally.

Choose based on which sequence you can track more reliably without making errors. A mistake in foundation sequence costs more in Grampus (a wrong card in a reserve cell is stuck there) than in most solitaire games.

Reserve cell discipline: one-way parking

Two reserve cells hold cards temporarily, but with a critical restriction: a card placed in reserve must go directly to a foundation when played. It cannot return to the tableau. This makes reserve use a one-way commitment: you are promising to play that card to a foundation within the next few moves.

Use reserve cells only for:

• Cards whose specific foundation step is imminent. A card in reserve that the foundation will need within the next two to four draws is a good reserve use. The cell will be occupied briefly and then freed.
• Cards that are blocking a tableau column’s access to a more-needed card.If a column top is a low-priority card blocking a high-priority card below it, and no tableau move is available for the top card, the reserve can park it temporarily while the needed card below is extracted.

Tableau column management

Eight columns of six with only top cards accessible means deep cards are effectively hidden. The reveal priority:

1. Play top cards to foundations immediately when they fit. A tableau top that matches the next needed rank on any foundation should be played at once. Delaying costs a turn and may allow the foundation to stall on a different card.
2. Look for foundation sequences starting in the tableau.If column A’s top is the next card for foundation 1, and below it is the next card for foundation 2, playing them in order creates a two-card foundation advance from one column.
3. Do not move tableau cards that have no destination. Unlike games with tableau-to-tableau building rules, Grampus only moves tableau cards to foundations or to reserve cells. A card with no current foundation fit and no reserve path just stays.

Stock and waste timing

The stock deals one card at a time to the waste. Waste top card access applies (only the waste top is playable). Grampus generally does not allow waste recycling, making each stock card a one-time opportunity.

Timing discipline:

• Before drawing from stock, check whether the current waste top can go to a foundation or should go to a reserve cell (if a foundation will need it soon).
• If the waste top fits neither a foundation now nor soon, draw the next stock card. The now-buried waste top is effectively gone in a no-recycle game.
• Check all four foundation sequences before each draw to identify which ranks are needed next across all foundations.

Grampus vs. Calculation

Both Grampus and Calculation involve non-standard foundation sequences:

• Calculation: Four foundations build by 1, 2, 3, and 4 rank intervals respectively (different interval per foundation). Four waste piles provide temporary storage. No tableau-to-tableau building.
• Grampus: All four foundations build by the same interval (ones or twos, chosen at start). Seeded at random starting ranks. Two reserve cells with one-way restriction. Eight tableau columns provide source cards.

Grampus is more structured than Calculation’s four-interval system but adds the random seed and one-way reserve constraint. Both reward players who pre-compute foundation sequences rather than playing by feel.

Where Grampus games get stuck

• Not computing the full foundation sequence before playing.The seeded starting rank and ones-or-twos mode create a non-obvious sequence. Playing “next rank up” intuitively will be wrong when the actual next needed rank skips (in twos mode) or wraps (when approaching King).
• Placing a card in reserve that won’t reach its foundation target quickly.A reserve cell occupied by a card whose foundation step is many draws away is a cell that cannot help with an urgent need that surfaces next turn.
• Filling both reserve cells simultaneously. With only two cells, having both occupied leaves no buffer for unexpected useful waste cards. Try to keep at least one cell open.
• Drawing stock while a tableau top or reserve card is ready for a foundation.Foundation plays are always the highest priority. Before any stock draw, confirm no current tableau top or reserve card fits a foundation.