Table of Contents

Object of the Game

Game Description

Game Statistics

System Requirements

How to:

     Play the Game

     Change the Card Backs

     Set the Animation Speed

     Start a New Game

     Exit the Game

     Display the 'About' Form.

Program Registration

Thanks from the folks at SLG for choosing FLIP 'EM SOLITAIRE.

Copyright ©1995, SLG Data Systems and Analysis

Card drawing Routines courtesy of Stephen Murphy


Object of the Game

This is a simple game that is easily won, and is great for children and solitaire novices.  The object of the game is to manipulate the cards in a 4x4 play field until all the cards shown are the same color - either all black or all red.  When this is done, you will be rewarded with a 'win' screen.  There are three different randomly chosen win screens - be sure to play enough to see all three.


Game Description

Each game begins with a thorough shuffling of the deck.  Sixteen cards are dealt face down in 4 columns of four rows each.  Then sixteen more cards are dealt face up on top of the first sixteen.  If all these cards are the same color, you win immediately.  If not, clicking on one of the two-card stacks will flip the stack, exposing the bottom card.  Again, if you can get all sixteen cards to be the same color, you win.

If, after the first deal, you cannot get all the cards the same color,  another sixteen cards may be dealt face up by clicking on the lowermost card of the 20 cards remaining to the left of the play field.

If, after the second deal you fail to win, the four remaining undealt cards may be individually moved to a stack of choice.  If you cannot get sixteen cards of the same color after these four cards are played, the game is over.


How to Play the Game

If you haven't read the game description yet, please do so now.

To flip a stack, move the mouse pointer over the desired stack and click the left mouse button.  There is no limit to the number of times a stack may be flipped.

To the left of the 4x4 play field, there is a column of 20 undealt cards, the topmost four being face up.  To deal the sixteen face-down cards, move the mouse pointer over the top card of the column (lowest on the screen), and click the left mouse button.

The four face-up cards may be moved individually once the face-down cards have been dealt.  To play these cards, move the mouse pointer over a card, press the left mouse button and hold it down, drag the card to the desired location, and release the mouse button to drop the card.  Once the card has been played, it cannot be moved again.  However, the undo command allows you to undo the move if you happen to drop it on the wrong stack.


How to Change the Card Backs

To change the card backs, first click on the 'Game' item in the menu bar, then click on 'Deck...' .  A window will appear showing the six available card backs, with a box surrounding the card back currently in use.  To select a different card back, move the mouse pointer over the appropriate card back, and click.  To put the change into effect, click the 'Ok' button at the bottom of the form.  To exit without changing the card back, click the 'Cancel' Button.


Exit the Game
How to Exit the Game

To exit the game, first click on the 'Game' item in the menu bar, then click on 'Exit' .  Alternatively, either click on the control box at the upper left hand corner of the game window and choose 'Close', or double click on the control box.  If you exit in the middle of a game, the game will be included is the game statistics.


System Requirements

This program requires Windows 3.1 or Windows For Workgroups 3.11, and also requires that VBRUN300.DLL be present in the windows/system directory.

System minimums are: 386 or better processor, 4 Mb ram, and VGA or better graphics.


Program Registration

FLIP 'EM Solitaire, STACKS Solitaire, and KINGS & QUEENS Solitaire are released as a shareware package.  Usage beyond a reasonable evaluation period obligates you to register the software with the program author.  All three programs may be registered for $15.00, two for $12.50, or $10.00 individually.  Registration provides you with program updates for one year, and puts you on our mailing list for future offerings.  Please support the shareware concept by registering today.

CompuServe members may register on-line.  If you are not a CompuServe member, please send your registration fee (check or money order only) to:

SLG Data Systems and Analysis

Dept 414

31950 Pembroke Court

Delmar, MD 21875

FLIP 'EM Solitaire Copyright ©1995, SLG Data Systems and Analysis

All rights reserved.


Display the 'About' Form.
How to Display the 'About' Form.

To display the 'About' form, first click on the menu item 'Game', then click on the 'About...' menu item


Starting a New Game
How to Start a New Game

To start a new game, first click on the menu item 'Game', then click on 'New Game'.  To interrupt the win screen and start a new game, click on the 'New Game' button.


Game Statistics

To view game statistics, first click on the menu item 'Game', then click on 'Statistics'.  You will be given a display showing a start date, number of games played, number of games won, and the percentage of games won.  To clear the statistics and start over, click on the 'Clear Scores' button.


How to Set the Animation Speed

To change the Animation speed, first click on the 'Game' item in the menu bar, then click on 'Animation Speed' .  You will be given a choice of 'fast', or 'slow'.  This choice affects the speed of the card dealing and restacking, as will as the movement in the win screens.  The 'Slow' speed will look about the same for all systems, while the 'Fast' setting will give different results depending on the processor speed and video card.


Want to Write Your Own Card Game?

This game was written using a card-drawing routines authored by Stephen Murphy.  The routines are supplied as a dynamic-link library, and are easily called from your favorite development system.  This freeware package is easy to learn, easy to use, and may be found on AOL, COMPUSERVE,  and the CICA ftp archive and its mirrors - look for QCARD, or QCARD2.ZIP.


Contacting the Author

The Author may be contacted at 70661,2461@CompuServe.com