Contents
Accordion Solitaire

Shareware Notice...

If you are using the Shareware version of Accordion Solitaire, please remember that it is just that, i.e. Shareware - not free. You are welcome to use it for a trial period but if you continue to use it then please register and support the 'Shareware' concept. You may freely copy/distribute the Shareware version as long as you make no charge for it. Thank you for trying Accordion Solitaire, I hope you enjoy it!

The full version can be obtained by sending £5 sterling or equivalent foreign currency (cash preferred!) to Martin Bryant, 71 Hunstanton Drive, Brandlesholme, Bury, Lancashire BL8 1XH, England. Registered users receive the latest fully functional version along with another shareware game and a full list of our other products.

The Shareware version differs from the full version in that the 'Take Back' facility is disabled, the 'Automove Strategy' can only be set to 'Random', fewer card backs are available and the 'About' box must be manually cleared when the program is loaded.

Constructive comments/criticisms welcome at the above address or email martinbr@colossus.demon.co.uk

The Game...

The Menus...

Customising Sounds...


The Game...

Rules

Initially the cards are laid out in a long line (or actually four lines on your screen!) of 52 piles (initially 1 card/pile). The object of the game is to stack the cards back up into a single pile.

Piles can be moved 1 or 2 piles to the left if the top card on each pile is of the same suit or same pip value. So for instance, a pile with say the nine of clubs on top could be moved onto a pile whose top card was a club or another nine.

Operation

Dragging...

Simply drag the pile you want to move onto another pile.

Clicking...

Click on the pile you want to move (which starts flashing) and then on the pile you want to put it on. If you select the wrong card then clicking on the pile again or the table top cancels the selected card.

(Remember that the four lines of cards on screen are notionally a single line so the rightmost card in one line is to the 'left' of the leftmost card in the line below.)

Sizing the window causes the cards to be redrawn within the available space, with overlaps handled automatically.

Strategy

Clearing piles from the leftmost position seems to be intuitively best, although I have seen the programs 'random' strategy get down to just seven piles! (A score below ten piles is pretty good and two piles is the best I have ever seen achieved.) Also to really succeed you need to make a careful lookahead to try to plan how to clear out some of the most awkward piles. Also trying to remain flexible by keeping cards of the same pip value showing can be useful.


The Menus...

File Menu

This menu has two items :-

New Game - deals the cards out ready for a new game.

Exit - exits from the program.

Goodies Menu

This menu has seven items :-

Hint - flashes a card (chosen at random) which can be moved.

Take Back - takes back the last move made (not available in the Shareware version).

Auto Move - requests the program to play one move or the rest of the game for you. Also allows you to select the programs playing strategy from 'leftmost', 'rightmost' or 'random' (only 'random' available in the Shareware version).

Best Scores - displays the best scores table.

Card Backs - allows you to select a different card back design.

Animation Speed - allows you to adjust the speed at which the program slides the cards across the table.

Sound - allows you to turn the sound on/off.

Help Menu

This menu has two items :-

Using Accordion - displays this 'help' file.

About - displays program information.


Customising Sounds...

Sound Files

The program uses several sound (.WAV) files which you can modify/replace to customise it to your liking.

The following three files can be found in the programs working directory.

NEWGAME.WAV - played when a new game is started

FILEEXIT.WAV - played when the program is exited

ILLEGAL.WAV - played when an illegal move is attempted

The program also makes use of the following three files which normally can be found in the Windows directory.

CHIMES.WAV - played when the 'About' box is displayed

CHORD.WAV - played when a hint move is selected

TADA.WAV - played when a new best score is achieved

If you change any of the first three files (you may want to make a backup copy first!) then the new sound will be played when the associated event occurs. For the last three files, take a copy from your Windows directory into the programs working directory and modify them there (thus ensuring that you do not affect other programs which use the Windows files).