Salic Law (solitaire)

Salic Law is a solitaire card game, sometimes called ''Salic Law Patience''. Its name derives from the Salic Law, a medieval Frankish code which, among other things, excluded women from inheriting the throne. The game's structure reflects this exclusionary principle through its gameplay mechanics.

The game is played with a standard 52-card deck. The precise rules vary slightly depending on the specific version played, but the core principle remains consistent: building sequences of cards that adhere to a strict alternating color and descending rank pattern. Unlike many solitaire games which allow building on any available card regardless of suit, Salic Law typically features stricter rules, often limiting play to only building sequences of alternating colors (e.g., red on black, black on red) and descending rank (e.g., King on Queen, Queen on Jack, etc.).

The initial layout of the cards often involves dealing a number of cards face-up in specific columns, and placing the remaining cards face-down as a stock. The goal is to build all four suits into their respective Ace foundations. Success depends on strategically utilizing cards revealed from the stock and manipulating the face-up cards in the columns. The lack of flexibility compared to other solitaire games typically means that Salic Law presents a significant challenge, and successful completion requires careful planning and a bit of luck.

Variations in the rules exist, affecting how cards are drawn from the stock and the specific requirements for moving cards between columns and the foundation. These variations, however, generally maintain the core principle of building descending sequences of alternating-colored cards. The overall difficulty level is generally considered to be high.