Volcano Eleven, deal #3

About this deal

This is one of the harder deals of Volcano Eleven: only 3% of the quick simulated games won it, and the solver had to search for a while before finding the way.

The bottom row starts with 3 of Swords, 6 of Batons, 3 of Cups, 5 of Batons, 3 of Coins and Cavallo of Coins, and the 6 of Cups sits at the very top.

One pair is ready straight away among the bottom cards.

11 times a card lies across one of its own partners, so those two cards can never leave together and need other partners.

The most crowded value is 4 with 4 cards in the layout, while only 2 of its partners (7) are in the layout too; the rest come from the stock.

The solver's winning line has 53 moves.

Deal facts

Difficulty

Hard

Solver's winning line

53 moves, 36 of them stock turns

Quick simulated games won

6 of 200 (3%)

Card at the top

6 of Cups

Cards in the layout

21

Cards in the stock

19

Pairs ready at the start

1

Locked pairs

11

How to approach it

• Start by naming a partner for each locked card. If both partners of a locked card are also in the pyramid, free them first; otherwise wait for one from the stock.
• Remove pairs from the deeper rows first and keep an eye on the summit card's partners.
• This is a hard deal: use undo to test an idea, and the hint button if you are completely stuck.

A winning start

These are the first moves of the solver's winning line. Open them only if you want a nudge.