Blocking solitaire card game

Abstract

Solitaire style card games with a blocking play feature. In one illustrative embodiment, the game may be played with a deck of twelve valued cards and an additional “block” card. A set of foundation stacks are dealt in a line face down and the top card on each is then turned face up, with the remaining cards forming a “draw” stack. Visible cards may then be removed from the foundation stacks in sets of one to three cards with a total face value meeting a preselected number. As cards are removed, the top card on each stack is turned face up. When a “block” card is revealed, a foundation stack may be “blocked.” Play of the blocked stack may be restricted until a designated condition is satisfied. When no play is possible or desired, a card may be drawn from the draw stack.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of conducting a gaming activity comprising:
 randomizing a deck of cards, wherein the deck of cards contains cards displaying numerical values from one to twelve and cards displaying an indicia indicating a block feature;   dispensing a selected number of cards into a set of individual foundation stacks, such that the top card of each foundation stack faces up with the remaining cards facing down;   placing remaining cards into a draw pile;   removing upwards facing cards from the foundation stacks to a sets of one to three cards displaying numerical values that total a preset numerical value and then placing the set in a discard pile and turning over the next card in the foundation stack;   drawing a card from the draw pile where a player desires or needs an additional card to form a set of the preselected value; and   where a card displaying an indicia indicating a block feature is played, restricting play from a foundation set until a condition is fulfilled.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein drawing a card from the draw pile where a player desires or needs an additional card to form a set of the preselected value further comprises placing a drawn card that cannot be used to form a set of preselected value face up in a row form which cards may be drawn to form sets in combination with upwards facing cards from the foundation stacks. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising dealing a set number of cards face down to two or more players to form hands of cards from which a player may remove cards to form sets in combination with the upwards facing cards from the foundation stacks. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein dispensing a selected number of cards into a set of individual foundation stacks comprises dispensing a selected number of cards into four or six individual foundation stacks. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein removing upwards facing cards from the foundation stacks to a sets of one to three cards displaying numerical values that total a preset numerical value comprises removing upwards facing cards from the foundation stacks to a sets of one to three cards displaying numerical values that total twelve. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising awarding a token to a player when a desired outcome occurs. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein play continues until a player has earned a set number of tokens. 
     
     
         8 . The method of clam  1 , wherein play continues until the foundation stacks are depleted. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the deck of cards further contains cards displaying an indicia indicating the card is considered a “Wild” card and may be used by a player as a card of any value, to remove a blocked card or to obtain tokens earned by another player. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein where a card displaying an indicia indicating a block feature is played, restricting play from a foundation set until a condition is fulfilled comprises where a card displaying indicia indicating a block feature is turned over on a foundation stack, that foundation stack is removed from play until a second foundation stack it is associated with has been depleted. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein where a card displaying an indicia indicating a block feature is played, restricting play from a foundation set until a condition is fulfilled comprises where a card displaying indicia indicating a block feature is placed in front of a second player by a first player, the second player is restricted to removing cards from a specific foundation stack until the that specific foundation stack is depleted. 
     
     
         12 . A method of conducting a gaming activity comprising:
 randomizing a deck of cards, wherein the deck of cards contains cards displaying numerical values from one to twelve and;   dispensing a selected number of cards into a set of individual foundation stacks, such that the top card of each foundation stack faces up with the remaining cards facing down;   placing remaining cards into a draw pile;   removing upwards facing cards from the foundation stacks to a sets of one to three cards displaying numerical values that total a preset numerical value and then placing the set in a discard pile and turning over the next card in the foundation stack;   drawing a card from the draw pile where a player desires or needs an additional card to form a set of the preselected value; and   when a blocking event occurs, restricting play from at least one foundation set until a clearing condition is fulfilled.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein when a blocking event occurs, restricting play from at least one foundation set until a clearing condition is fulfilled comprises where a card displaying indicia indicating a block feature is turned over on a foundation stack, designating that foundation stack as a block stack and associating it with a second foundation stack and removing the block stack from play until the designated foundation stack it is associated with has been depleted. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein when a blocking event occurs, restricting play from at least one foundation set until a clearing condition is fulfilled comprises where a card displaying indicia indicating a block feature is placed in front of a second player by a first player, the second player is restricted to removing cards from a specific foundation stack until the that specific foundation stack is depleted. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein drawing a card from the draw pile where a player desires or needs an additional card to form a set of the preselected value further comprises placing a drawn card that cannot be used to form a set of preselected value face up in a row form which cards may be drawn to form sets in combination with upwards facing cards from the foundation stacks. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising dealing a set number of cards face down to two or more players to form hands of cards from which a player may remove cards to form sets in combination with the upwards facing cards from the foundation stacks. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising awarding a token to a player when a desired outcome occurs. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein play continues until a player has earned a set number of tokens. 
     
     
         19 . The method of clam  1 , wherein play continues until the foundation stacks are depleted. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the deck of cards further contains cards displaying an indicia indicating the card is considered a “Wild” card and may be used by a player as a card of any value, to remove a blocked card or to obtain tokens earned by another player.