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Eight face-up reserve rows feed eight empty build piles in this no-stock, no-foundation game where reading the whole layout beats trusting luck.

Flow Solitaire is a mellower take on Wave Motion, the difference being that here cards may be sequenced by matching suit both on the reserve rows and on the build piles. There are no foundations, no stock, and no waste — the whole deck is dealt face-up across eight reserve rows, and you win by moving every card down into ordered same-suit runs on the eight empty piles beside them.

Because the entire layout is visible from the first move, Flow rewards planning over luck. The game leans on skill: with nothing hidden you can read several moves ahead, and a careful player wins a large share of deals. Hasty sequencing, by contrast, buries the cards you need beneath runs you cannot unpick.

The single-deck game plays quickly once the pattern clicks, and it makes a relaxing warm-up for tougher patience games.

If you enjoy Flow, try Wave Motion Solitaire, the sterner original this variation is based on, or Wading Pool Solitaire, a near-identical variant that plays by the same rules.

If you run into anything odd or have an idea that would make the game better, please contact me.

Enjoy playing!

How to play Flow Solitaire

Layout:

8 reserve piles: The whole deck is dealt here at the start, every card face-up. These piles are never refilled once they empty.

8 build piles: These begin empty. You win by sequencing every card down onto them.

Tableau:

There are eight build piles, dealt empty at the start of the game.

A card can be added to a build pile only if it's one rank lower and the same suit as the pile's current top card, so the only card that fits on the 8 of spades is the 7 of spades. A run of cards may be moved together as long as it is already in same-suit descending order.

Cards on the build piles that are not covered may be played onto the reserve or onto another build pile that continues the run.

Reserve:

The eight reserve piles hold the full deck at the start, every card face-up.

The top card of each reserve pile is available for play. Reserve piles also build down in the same suit, so you can tidy runs there before moving them onto the build piles. The only card that fits on a reserve 8 of spades is the 7 of spades.

Unlike the build piles, reserve cards move one at a time; an ordered run sitting on a reserve pile has to be sent over card by card rather than in one lift. Empty reserve piles are not replenished, so clearing a reserve row for good is real progress toward the win.