Eight columns of four visible cards form the staircase. A separate reserve holds 28 cards with only its top exposed; a 44-card stock draws one at a time.
The reserve does not claim empty columns
Build down in alternating colors and move ordered alternating-color runs together. Any card or legal run fills an empty column. Reserve cards may move out one at a time, but they do not automatically refill a cleared column. Eight foundations build upward by suit from ace to king.
Keep a receiver for the next reserve card
Uncovering the reserve can reveal a long chain of opportunities or another blocker. Before parking its top card, identify a later landing place. The stock can be recycled without a pass limit, so revisit known receivers instead of filling every useful space just to reach the next draw.