Elevens

Elevens is a simple card game played with a standard 52-card deck. It is typically played as a solitaire puzzle in which the objective is to remove cards from a layout by forming combinations that total 11.

Setup and play: Nine cards are dealt face up in a 3 by 3 grid. The remaining cards form a stock. A move consists of selecting two cards that sum to 11 when Ace counts as 1 and face cards are not used in the sum (2 through 10 count as their pip value; Ace as 1; a 10 pairs with an Ace to make 11, as do 2 and 9, 3 and 8, 4 and 7, and 5 and 6). When a valid pair is chosen, those two cards are removed and two new cards from the stock are dealt to fill the empty spaces. If the stock runs out, no further cards are dealt. The game ends when no legal 11-pair moves remain and the stock is exhausted, with the aim of clearing the grid completely.

Variations: Some versions allow removing three cards that sum to 11 or use different rules for face cards, and others deal from the stock one card at a time rather than filling two slots. Starting layouts and replacement rules can vary by edition or computer implementation.

Strategy and use: Elevens is used as a quick arithmetic exercise and puzzle, encouraging players to recognize complementary pairs and plan moves ahead. It appears in educational contexts and puzzle collections, and is implemented in many solitaire programs and apps.