Big Ben Solitaire Rules

If you are looking for a solitaire game that combines the visual elegance of a clock layout with the complexity of a two-deck challenge, Big Ben is an excellent choice. Named after the iconic clock tower at the Palace of Westminster, this game is closely related to Grandfather's Clock but operates on a larger scale. While classics like Klondike or Spider rely heavily on tableau manipulation, Big Ben requires careful management of the foundations and a unique redealing mechanic. It is a game of patience and foresight, perfect for players who enjoy the strategic depth of games like Calculation.

Game Setup

Big Ben is played with two standard decks of playing cards (104 cards total). The layout features a central clock face for foundations and a dedicated area for the tableau.

The Foundations (The Clock Face)

At the start of the game, specific cards are removed from the deck to form the clock face. These 12 cards act as the foundations:

9 o'clock: 2 of Clubs
10 o'clock: 3 of Hearts
11 o'clock: 4 of Spades
12 o'clock: 5 of Diamonds
1 o'clock: 6 of Clubs
2 o'clock: 7 of Hearts
3 o'clock: 8 of Spades
4 o'clock: 9 of Diamonds
5 o'clock: 10 of Clubs
6 o'clock: Jack of Hearts
7 o'clock: Queen of Spades
8 o'clock: King of Diamonds

The Tableau

Twelve piles of three cards each are dealt face up. On larger screens, these are positioned next to the clock face, while on smaller devices, they are placed below it.

The Stock

The remaining cards are placed face down to form the stock pile.

How to Play

The objective of Big Ben is to build up the foundations in the Clock Face by suit until the top card corresponds to the clock hour position (e.g., the 12 o'clock pile, starting with a 5, must eventually show a Queen).

Building the Foundations

You build up on the foundations by suit. The sequence wraps around from King to Ace. For example, on the 5 of Diamonds (12 o'clock), you would play the 6 of Diamonds, then the 7, and so on.

Building on the Tableau

The top cards of the twelve tableau piles are available for play. You can move them to the foundations or to other tableau piles. Building on the tableau is down by suit (e.g., placing a 9 of Hearts on a 10 of Hearts). The ranking is continuous, meaning you can place a King on an Ace.

Dealing and Filling Gaps

This is the unique feature of Big Ben. A tableau pile is considered to have a "gap" if it contains fewer than three cards.

Filling Gaps: You may choose to fill these gaps using cards from the stock. However, if you decide to fill gaps, you must fill all piles that have fewer than three cards back up to three cards. Cards are dealt to the tableau piles in order, starting from the first pile (corresponding to the 1 o'clock position).
Regular Dealing: If all piles have three or more cards (or if you choose not to fill gaps yet) and you have no moves, you can deal one card from the stock to a waste pile. The top card of the waste pile is available for play.

Note: You cannot build on a tableau pile that has fewer than three cards using cards from other tableau piles. You must wait for the gaps to be filled from the stock.

Strategies and Tips

Watch the Clock: Always keep in mind which rank is required to finish a specific foundation. Unlike Canfield where foundations are uniform, here every pile has a different starting and ending point.
Manage the Gaps: Do not rush to fill gaps immediately. Filling gaps buries the cards currently at the bottom of the piles. Try to exhaust all useful moves on the board before triggering the gap-filling deal.
Suit Coordination: Since both the tableau and foundations follow suit (one building down, one building up), moving a card to the tableau often blocks the card you need for the foundation.
Empty Stock: There are no redeals. Once the stock is exhausted, you must rely solely on the tableau manipulation to win.