How to play: Nestor

Nestor is a fun card discarding game, with elements of Fourteens but involving a tiny bit more strategy due to the presence of reserve cards.

Layout

All cards of a standard deck are laid out face up. Forty-eight (48) of the cards are laid out into eight columns of six cards each, forming the tableau. Then the remaining four cards are placed above the layout as a special set of 'reserve' cards.

Nestor game layout in Solitaire Whizz for iPad

Aim

The aim of the game is to discard all of the cards, in pairs of cards of equal values.

Gameplay

The completely unexposed card at the foot of each column is available for play, as are all four reserve cards. Cards are discarded in pairs of equal values irrespective of suit: any 5 can be paired with any other 5, etc.

You can pair:

• two exposed cards from the foot of columns in the tableau;
• one exposed card from the tableau and one card from the reserve.

On the other hand, you are not allowed to pair off two cards from the reserve, unless they are the only two cards left.

You win if you manage to discard all 52 cards. You lose if you run out of possible moves.

Strategy

As with Fourteens, Nestor is to some extent a game of luck. However, when you have a choice of moves available, you must try to look ahead and choose pairs that will leave you with further moves available.

Nestor has the added twist of the reserve cards. Try to avoid using these reserve cards too early: instead, try to arrange moves so that you will have available pairs in the tableau and only use the reserve cards in emergency.