canfield

canfield [-a] [-r seed] [-s] [-t] [-v]

-a
    Automatically play any cards that can be moved to the foundation.

-r seed
    Use seed as the random number seed for the card shuffle. Useful for replaying specific games or for debugging.

-s
    Show the score of the current game.

-t
    Terse output; display less explanatory text during gameplay.

-v
    Display the version information for the canfield command.

canfield is a text-based implementation of the popular solitaire card game, Canfield Solitaire (also known as "Demon Solitaire"). It's typically found within the bsdgames collection on Unix-like operating systems. The game is played in the terminal, displaying cards using ASCII characters. The objective of Canfield Solitaire is to move all cards to the four foundation piles, building up in suit from a starting rank determined by the first card dealt to the foundations. The game starts with 13 cards in a reserve pile, one card starting a foundation pile, and four tableau piles. The game is known for being challenging to win, requiring strategic moves and a bit of luck. It provides a simple yet engaging way to pass time directly within the command line interface, without requiring a graphical environment. Users interact by entering commands to move cards between piles.

The canfield command is often part of the bsdgames package, which might not be installed by default on all Linux distributions. Users may need to install it separately. It's a purely text-based game, so it doesn't offer graphical user interface enhancements. Gameplay interaction is command-line driven, which can be less intuitive for users accustomed to graphical solitaire games.

Within the canfield game, users interact by typing single-letter commands followed by numbers or other parameters. Common commands include:
d: deal a new card from the stock.
t: move a card from the tableau to the foundation.
r: move a card from the reserve to the tableau or foundation.
p: move a card from the stock/discard pile to the tableau or foundation.
m: move a card from one tableau pile to another.
a: auto-play available moves to the foundation.
? or h: display help.
q: quit the game.
The exact syntax might vary slightly, but these are typical commands.

The canfield command, like many other classic Unix games, originated in the Berkeley Software Distribution (BSD) UNIX systems. It was part of the bsdgames collection, which provided simple, character-based entertainment for users. Its development dates back to the early days of computing when graphical interfaces were not common or powerful enough for such applications. The core game logic and interface have remained largely consistent over the years, making it a nostalgic piece of software for many long-time Unix users and a testament to the versatility of terminal applications. It continues to be maintained as part of various bsdgames ports to Linux and other modern Unix-like operating systems.

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