Treat the stock as an ordered resource
Made Simple Games deals one stock card at a time and allows two redeals after the first pass. The top waste card can pair with an exposed pyramid card, but cards below it remain unavailable until the top changes.
A stock card you skip is not gone forever, but its relationship to neighboring cards matters. Removing one card changes what becomes visible next and can alter the order you encounter on a later pass.
Compare pyramid and waste pairs
When an exposed pyramid card can pair with either another pyramid card or the waste, compare what each move reveals. A pyramid-to-pyramid pair may expose new cards immediately. A waste pair may preserve a scarce pyramid card for a blocked partner above.
Favor access over card count. Removing two cards is only useful when it improves the structure or protects a necessary future match.
Track scarce partners
| Card | Required partner | Planning question |
|---|---|---|
| Queen | Ace | How many aces remain accessible? |
| Jack | 2 | Is the exposed 2 needed by another jack? |
| 10 | 3 | Will a blocked 3 become available soon? |
| 9 | 4 | Which pair opens more of the pyramid? |
| 8 | 5 | Can the stock supply the partner later? |
| 7 | 6 | Which value is scarcer in the visible board? |
Use the first pass for information
The first pass reveals the stock order. Make strong moves, but also notice cards that would become useful after a particular pyramid card is exposed. The second and third passes are easier when you remember a few critical sequences.
Do not try to memorize all 24 stock cards. Track the rare partners and the cards immediately before or after them.
Change alignment deliberately
Using a waste card removes it from the sequence. That means a different card may sit on top at a key point during the next pass. A move that seems optional can be valuable because it changes future access.
Undo is useful for studying alignment. If a later card remains buried, return to the earlier choice and see whether using or preserving a waste card changes the sequence.
Endgame checklist
- Count the values still in the pyramid and identify their required partners.
- Remove any exposed king because it needs no partner.
- Prefer pairs that expose the highest blocked card.
- Before the final redeal, remember where each critical stock partner appears.
- Do not spend a scarce partner on the wrong duplicate value.