                CMTSOLIT version 1.2 (for Windows 95/NT)
                   Copyright 1997-1999 Charles Tyson

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January 1, 1999

CMTSolit is a solitaire game written with Borland's Delphi.  The program
and its source are freeware.  If you like it, don't send money--just
play another hand!

Charles Tyson
Possible E-mail address: ctyson@encompass.net
Possible Web page:       www.encompass.net/ctyson

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BASIC INSTRUCTIONS:

The game comprises 4 files:
   CMTSOLIT.EXE
   CMTSOLIT.INI
   CMTSOLIT.R1
   CMTCARDS.DLL
Place these files in a directory of their own.

Doubleclick the CMTSOLIT.EXE icon to start the program.

To start a game, select "Select a card game" from the "Game" menu.  
Double-click on one of the games, or click the game then click the "OK" 
button.

A window will then appear with various colored "piles," some empty and some
showing cards.  The piles are color-coded for their function:
--Red piles are "Foundation" piles which are the final destination for
  cards.  In most games, your score is based on the number of cards you 
  place here.
--Green piles are "Tableau" piles where you arrange the cards according
  to the rules of the game.  Each game has its own rules describing how the 
  tableau should be "built."
--Blue-green piles are "Layoff" piles where you can temporarily
  store a single card.
--Dark blue "Stock" piles usually hold the cards which aren't dealt out
  at the beginning.  When the cursor passes over an empty stock pile you
  will get a message telling how many redeals are allowed; click on the 
  empty pile to refill the stock.
--Sky blue "Waste" piles either hold cards which can't be placed on a
  tableau or foundation, or are used as a space for viewing cards before 
  placing them on a tableau/foundation pile.
--Purple "Reserve" piles are used to hold additional cards which can be 
  played under certain circumstances.

Select "How to play..." from the "Help" menu for instructions on the 
selected game.

To move one or more cards, click on the desired card (don't click and
drag).  If it is legal to move that card, it and any cards stacked on it 
will disappear, and the cursor will change to a miniature representation of 
the clicked-on card.  Place the cursor on the receiving pile and click 
again.  If the cards do not reappear, you are not allowed to place them 
there.  You can always return the cards to the pile they came from.  (The 
"hot spot" of the card cursor is the top middle of the card).

(Note:  if you change the number of colors Windows can display while CMT
Solitaire is running, the card cursors may be scrambled.  In that case, exit 
the game and restart it.)

If the rules of the game permit only the top card to be picked up, clicking 
anywhere on the pile will pick up that card.

If you place more cards on a pile than there is room to display, a scrollbar
will appear on that pile.

If the game has a Stock pile topped by a face-down card, clicking on that 
card will deal out cards according to the rules of the game (e.g. in 
Klondike it deals 3 cards to the Waste; in Spider it deals 1 card to each 
Tableau pile).

Under the "Edit" menu there are options for Undo and Autoplay.  You can undo
every move back to the beginning of the game.  Autoplay, when available, 
attempts to move cards from the tableau piles to the foundations.  It uses a 
simple strategy for doing this, and occasionally won't make the best move.  

You can restart a hand from the beginning with the Game menu's "Restart this 
hand" option.

A few games have buttons which perform special functions.  Consult the
games rules for explanations of how to use them.

As you move cards, your score is displayed in the menu bar.  If you win a 
game, the court cards will congratulate you.  Click on the polite response 
below their message to continue.  Under the Game menu, choose "Deal another 
hand" to play this game again, or "Select a card game" for a different 
game.

The "Statistics" option under the Game menu tells you how many times you've 
played that game and your average score (including the current game).  It 
also tells you how much cumulative time you've misspent playing CMT Solitaire.

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The game rules were derived from:
  SOLITAIRE by David Parlett (Pantheon Books, 1979)
  SOLITAIRE'S JOURNEY by Andrew Visscher and Bruce Zaccagnino (QQP, 1992)
In a few cases I have used my own "house rules."

Most forms of Solitaire are anonymous creations, but:
  Black Hole, Curds and Whey, and Penguin were invented by David Parlett.
  Spaces and Aces was invented by Robert Harbin.
  Strategy was invented by Albert Morehead and Geoffrey Mott-Smith.
  Mrs. Mop was invented by Charles Jewell.

