diff --git a/dealer.lua b/dealer.lua
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9b3e642
--- /dev/null
+++ b/dealer.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,156 @@
+function deal(ruleset)
+ local n_usable_cards=ruleset.n_usable_cards
+ local n_final_slots=ruleset.n_slots-1
+ local n_usable_slots=n_final_slots+1
+ local tower_height = n_usable_cards\n_final_slots
+
+ -- prototype
+ local deal1,generate_wells,generate_pops,accepts
+ local deal1=function()
+  local slots,max_height={},{}
+  for i=0,n_final_slots do
+   slots[i]={}
+   max_height[i]=tower_height
+  end
+  max_height[0]=1
+
+  local wells=generate_wells()
+  local pops=generate_pops(wells)
+
+  local function pek(lst)
+   return lst[#lst]
+  end
+
+  local function pop(lst)
+   return deli(lst,#lst)
+  end
+
+  local function pop_accepted_card(lst)
+   local card=lst[#lst]
+   if (card and accepts(lst[#lst-1],card)) return pop(lst)
+  end
+
+  local function find_home(odds,card,source,exclude) 
+   assert(card!=0)
+   local acceptors={}
+   local start_points={}
+
+   for s=0,#slots do
+    local n=#slots[s]
+    if s==exclude then
+     -- don't place it here ever
+    elseif ruleset.deck.instantly_accepted[card] and n==max_height[s]-1 then
+     -- can't place an instantly accepted card at the bottom of a slot
+    else
+     if (accepts(pek(slots[s]),card)) add(acceptors,s)
+     if (n<max_height[s]) add(start_points,s)
+    end
+   end
+
+   local acceptor=rnd(acceptors)
+   local start_point=rnd(start_points)
+   if (acceptor and rnd()>odds) acceptor=nil
+
+   local a=acceptor or start_point or source
+   if (a) add(slots[a],card) return true
+  end
+
+  local original_pops=#pops
+  while #pops>0 do
+   local w=deli(pops)
+   assert(w!=0)
+   local exclude
+
+   -- unblock aux slot if this is not arcana
+   if w <= ruleset.n_suits then 
+    local c=pop(slots[0])
+    assert(c!=0)
+    if (c and not find_home(1.0,c,nil,0)) return 
+    exclude = 0
+   end
+
+   local card=pop(wells[w])
+   assert(card!=0)
+   if (not find_home(1.0,card,nil,exclude)) return 
+
+   local n_moves=48
+   for i=1,n_moves do
+    local src=flr(rnd()*(#slots+1))
+    local card=pop_accepted_card(slots[src])
+    if card then
+     local odds=0.0
+     if (not find_home(odds,card,src,nil)) return
+    end
+   end
+  end
+
+  -- fix any stacks that are too tall
+  max_height[0]=0  -- auxiliary slot must be empty
+  for i=0,#slots do
+   while #slots[i]>max_height[i] do
+    local card=pop(slots[i])
+    if (not find_home(0.0,card,nil,nil)) return
+   end
+  end
+
+  -- get rid of auxiliary slot
+  slots[0]=nil
+  for s=1,#slots do
+   if (ruleset.deck.instantly_accepted[pek(slots[s])]) return
+   assert(#slots[s]==tower_height)
+  end
+
+  return slots
+ end
+ generate_wells=function()
+  local split_point=flr(rnd()*(ruleset.n_arcana+1))
+  local wells={}
+  for i=1,ruleset.n_suits+2 do
+   wells[i]={}
+  end
+  for r=2,ruleset.n_cards_per_suit do
+   for s=1,ruleset.n_suits do
+    local card=ruleset.n_cards_per_suit * (s - 1) + (r - 1) + 1
+    assert(card!=0)
+    add(wells[s],card)
+   end
+  end
+
+  local first_arcana=ruleset.n_suits*ruleset.n_cards_per_suit+1
+  local arcana0=ruleset.n_suits
+  local arcana1=arcana0+1
+  for r=0,split_point-1 do
+   assert(first_arcana+r!=0)
+   add(wells[arcana0],first_arcana+r)
+  end
+  for r=ruleset.n_arcana-1,split_point,-1 do
+   assert(first_arcana+r!=0)
+   add(wells[arcana1],first_arcana+r)
+  end
+  return wells
+ end
+ generate_pops=function(wells)
+  local pops={}
+  for w=1,#wells do
+   for _=1,#wells[w] do
+    add(pops,w)
+   end
+  end
+  shuf(pops)
+  return pops
+ end
+ accepts=function(c0,c1)
+  assert(c0!=0)
+  assert(c1!=0)
+  assert(c1!=nil)
+  if (c0==nil) return true
+  c0=ruleset.deck.cards[c0]
+  c1=ruleset.deck.cards[c1]
+  return c0.suit==c1.suit and (c1.rank == c0.rank+1 or c0.rank==c1.rank+1)
+ end
+
+ while true do
+  local d=deal1()
+  if (d) return d
+ end
+end
\ No newline at end of file