Classic Games Club

Montana

Arrange each row as one complete same-suit sequence from Two through King.

How to play

Arrange each row as one complete same-suit sequence from Two through King.

  • All fifty-two cards occupy four thirteen-position rows, then the four Aces are removed to leave four gaps; two redeals remain available.
  • A gap accepts a Two when it begins a row, otherwise it accepts only the next higher card of the same suit as the card immediately to its left. Moving a card creates the next gap, and an unused redeal may be taken at any time before the layout is complete.
  • Arrange each row as one complete same-suit sequence from Two through King.

Strategy tips

  • Open a row with a Two whose suit has a long continuation already nearby, and avoid creating a gap immediately after a King.
  • Moving the first legal successor without tracing where its old gap lands can terminate a chain in an unusable position.
  • Use the final redeal to preserve completed left-hand runs, then extend the shortest remaining suit chain one gap at a time.

Complete guide

Rules, scoring, and strategy

Montana is a complete browser implementation with its own versioned rules profile. Reorder four rows into same-suit Two-to-King sequences by sliding cards into the four Ace gaps.

Setup and opening position

All fifty-two cards occupy four thirteen-position rows, then the four Aces are removed to leave four gaps; two redeals remain available.

Legal moves and game flow

A gap accepts a Two when it begins a row, otherwise it accepts only the next higher card of the same suit as the card immediately to its left. Moving a card creates the next gap, and an unused redeal may be taken at any time before the layout is complete.

Winning and terminal positions

Arrange each row as one complete same-suit sequence from Two through King. Use the final redeal to preserve completed left-hand runs, then extend the shortest remaining suit chain one gap at a time.

Practical strategy

Open a row with a Two whose suit has a long continuation already nearby, and avoid creating a gap immediately after a King. Moving the first legal successor without tracing where its old gap lands can terminate a chain in an unusable position.

Questions players ask

What is the objective in Montana?

Arrange each row as one complete same-suit sequence from Two through King.

Which moves are legal in Montana?

A gap accepts a Two when it begins a row, otherwise it accepts only the next higher card of the same suit as the card immediately to its left. Moving a card creates the next gap, and an unused redeal may be taken at any time before the layout is complete.

What should I plan first in Montana?

Open a row with a Two whose suit has a long continuation already nearby, and avoid creating a gap immediately after a King.

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