Right from the yesteryears, playing cards has always been a favorite pastime. And, one game that even keeps the solo players entertained is Solitaire. But if you are a Solitaire fan, there’s something even better in store for you. We are talking about the extremely popular Solitaire ‘spin-off,’ which is Kings in the Corner.
Kings in a Corner is a classic game believed to have been created in the mid-20th century. While the rules differ slightly from those of Solitaire, they are not overly complicated.
So, here’s a comprehensive guide to learning how to play King Corner, rules, gameplay, and more so you can emerge a winner without any hassles. Let’s get started!
Table of Contents
What is Kings in a Corner?
Kings in the Corner is a solitaire-style card game played between 2-4 players. It uses a standard deck, and each player gets 7 cards. The goal is to be the first player to get rid of all your cards.
Cards are played on foundation piles in the middle, which follow a descending order and alternating colors, like red 7 on black 8. Kings start new piles in the corners. Players draw a card each turn and try to play as many cards as possible.
Kings Corner Set-Up
Before you proceed with the game, let’s take a look at the game setup.
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The game is played between 2-4 players.
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Players are dealt seven cards, and the remaining cards go into the stockpile.
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You will need a standard card deck.
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A full deck of cards is used except for the Jokers.
Also Read: How to play Tonk Card Game
How to Play Kings in The Corner?
Now comes the best part. We tell you how to play Kings Corner effortlessly. All you have to do is take a look at all the Kings Corner rules below and you are good to go.
Ranking of Cards
From top to bottom, the Kings in the corner scoring is as follows.
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King (highest)
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Queen
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Jack
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10
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9
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8
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7
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6
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5
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4
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3
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2
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Ace (lowest)
Objective
The objective of Kings in the Corner is to be the first player to get rid of all your cards. You achieve this by playing all your cards onto foundation piles in the center of the table. However, you must follow specific King Corner rules for descending order and alternating colors.
The Deal
The game starts when the dealer begins dealing seven cards to each player. Put the remaining cards face down in the center as the stockpile or draw pile. Draw the top four cards from the draw pile and place one face up on the corner spaces of the stockpile. These four cards on the corner spaces form the foundation piles and make a cross shape with the stockpile in the center. Players will play cards on these foundation piles in descending order and alternating colors to try to get rid of all their cards first.
Gameplay
In Kings in the Corner, players take turns clockwise. On your turn, draw a card from the stockpile. Then, try to play cards from your hand onto the foundation pile. Cards must be placed in descending order and opposite colors. For instance, you can play a red 6 on a black 7. Opting for valid moves is crucial.
If you draw a king, place it in a corner to start a new foundation pile. You can also move the entire foundation pile to the other foundation pile as long as they follow the descending order and opposite color rule. To add a card to a foundation pile, it must be one rank lower and of the opposite color compared to the foundation card already on the pile.
In Kings in the Corner card game, players can start new sequences on a vacated foundation pile. However, to play on the vacated foundation pile, you must also follow the standard rules of being one rank lower and of the opposite color compared to the card below it.
If you can’t play any cards and you have played as many valid moves as possible, your turn ends. If you play all your cards, you win the game.
The game continues until one player runs out of cards. If the stockpile runs out, players continue without drawing. The first player to get rid of all their cards wins.
Keeping Score And Winning
Keeping score in Kings in the Corner card games is typically quite simple because the game itself is more about being the first to empty your hand rather than accumulating points. So, the first player who runs out of all of their cards wins the game, and the game ends. The winner then receives all the chips.
Another way to play is by collecting corner spaces in the playing area. Or, players can play multiple rounds, earning points for cards remaining in hand. The game continues until someone reaches a set point target and is out. Scoring varies, but usually, face cards are worth more points. The goal score, like 25 or 50 points, is agreed upon before starting.
King Corner Rules
Here are some King Corner rules you must know:
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As long as the player is able, they can carry on making as many valid moves as possible.
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The only cards that can be played in the corner spaces created by the cross are Kings.
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Players call a pass when a player lacks the capacity (or is unwilling) to make any further moves, and the round is passed to the next player.
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Upon choosing a hand, a player with no plays can dismiss without adding any moves to the array.
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The game is won by the first person to drop their final card to the center of the table, and the other players score points depending on the cards left in their decks.
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As per the general scoring system, each remaining King in a player’s hand is worth ten points, and the remaining cards in a player’s hand are worth one point individually.
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After each round, the hand is passed to the player on the last dealer’s direct left.
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The game finishes when any participant achieves a predetermined limit, usually 25. This means that the player with the lowest mark is proclaimed the winner.
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If two or more parties have the same low score, they are regarded as match-winners.
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If a player has any Kings in their hand, they may play them immediately. The sides (aligned between the four principal foundation piles) are where the kings are contested. On the sides, these Kings construct new structures on which players play cards.
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If the player holds any card of the alternate color that is less in the ranking than a hand presently at the head of any of the foundation piles on the board, they may play it to the relevant base pile. As a result, the base pile will be formed in descending order, with black and red cards alternated.
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Moving the pile is a key tactic. If the bottom card of one base pile ranks next to the topmost card of some other base pile on the board, they may shift the complete pile to form one long, downward, color-alternating series.
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Whenever any of the four principal foundation piles becomes vacant (i.e., there are no hands in this initial foundation pile location) due to all the above actions, the player can play whatever card they want in this other foundation pile.
Which actions are legal in Kings Corner?
In the Kings Corner card game, here are the valid moves as per the Kings Corner rules:
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In the cross, you can place a card or a series of cards on a foundation pile.
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To play a card on a foundation pile, it should be one rank lower and of the opposite color compared to the top card on the pile. For example, if a 9 is on the foundation pile, the next card played should be an 8 of the opposite color.
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You can play a succession of trumps, with each card being one rank lower and of the opposite color compared to the card before it.
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You can move an entire foundation pile to another if the top card of the moving pile forms a valid sequence with the bottom card of the recipient pile.
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Aces are the lowest-ranked cards in the deck.
Also Read: How to Play Slapjack Card Game
Variations of King Corner
Here are a few Kings Corner game variations you must know about.
Mandatory Kings
If a player has a King in their hand, they must play it to one of the available corner spaces created on their first turn. This rule ensures that Kings are promptly placed to initiate the game’s foundation piles and, hence, sets the stage for subsequent moves. Likewise, in their game, a player who draws a King from the foundation card pile must serve the king. Each round is widely regarded as a full game in this edition, with the player who gets rid of the rest of their hands earliest being the victor.
Scoring Variation
This variant is similar to the usual game in terms of consistency. The sole distinction is that after a player makes their final hand, the leftover cards in the competitors’ hands are scored.
Drawing Order
The only difference between this game and the main game is the period when a player pulls a card from the stack. A player doesn’t really pick from the recipient pile at the start of their round and starts playing to the board immediately. When they run out of cards to play, they pull a card from the pool to finish their round. If, on the other hand, the player could play all of the leftover cards on their side during the round, they do not have to pull and are proclaimed the hand’s victor, with the hand being tallied instantly.
King in the Corners Solitaire
This is really a one-player variant of Kings in the Corner. To start, the player must mix the cards well. He will next hand out a design diorama that is nearly identical to the one mentioned above in the regular game. In a “+” sign sequence, he distributes five hands face up (see diagram). He then places the rest of the cards as the drawing lot to the back.
The foundation files are the 4 “corners” of the diorama, in which the player would try and play off the full stack of cards into the 4 foundation piles, starting with King and going down to Ace (the lowest card).
The valid sequence of permitted cards constitutes the foundation of this solitaire action, and the arrangement cards can be flipped. Cards are dealt with the base pile in increasing order, beginning with Ace and working up to King, and hands-on arrangements are dealt with in decreasing order, starting with King and working down to Ace.
Color Swap
An additional option that makes this sport more challenging is that the colors of the dealt cards must swap while creating patterns as they increase or decrease. To put it another way, a black card must be dealt with a red card, and a red card must be dealt with a black card.
Strategy to Win Kings in a Corner
Now that you are familiar with King Corner rules and the gameplay let’s take a look at a few strategies that can lead you to victory.
Prioritize Kings
Always play King immediately to corner spaces as soon as possible. When the card played is King, it offers more options for playing cards.
Build Foundations
Use Kings to start building foundation piles. Play cards of alternating colors and descending ranks on these piles while ensuring valid moves.
Moving Piles
Moving piles creates space on the tableau and is one of the valid moves. Here, it lets you play more cards and make strategic moves. Remember, you can move piles if the bottom card of one pile can be placed on top of another pile’s top card. If these cards form a valid sequence, you can move the entire pile. This strategy helps you organize your cards and create longer sequences, improving your chances of winning.
Maximize Moves
Look for opportunities to create long sequences by shifting piles. This opens up space and gives you more options to continue playing.
FAQs
Can you play Kings in a Corner online?
Yes, you can play Kings in the Corner online. Several platforms offer the game for free.
How to play the Kings card game?
The aim of the Kings Corner card game is to be the first to play all their cards. King cards start foundation piles and all the other cards are played by matching color and descending rank. Players pass when unable to play. Kings left in hand score points. The game ends when someone wins or reaches a point limit set.
What is the 5 in King’s card game?
The number 5 has no special significance in Kings in the Corner. The game focuses on playing as many cards in descending order by rank and matching colors on foundation piles. Here, Kings are the only cards that start these piles. Your turn continues until you finish as many valid plays as possible. Once you are out of valid plays, the next player starts. Two to four players can play this game.
What is Ace in Kings?
Ace in Kings Corner card game is the lowest card and is played after kings.
