The remaining cards are combined to form the stockpile and are placed face down next to the player. All cards are facing forward and they must overlap. At the start of the game, 27 of those cards are dealt on the tableau in the shape of a pyramid, with 7 cards making up the base. Pyramid Solitaire uses a standard 52-card deck. Pyramid Solitaire - Basic rules and the tableau The game gets its name from the disposition of the cards on the tableau. Players can only collect two cards at a time, provided their combined value is 13. As with the great majority of Solitaire games, the goal is to clear the tableau and collect all the cards, but there is a catch to it. Pyramid Solitaire is a peculiar game that combines fun with a mild exercise of math.