First ask about the top card
Bicycle does not allow taking a pile topped by a wild card or a three. When frozen, taking a permitted top card requires a matching natural pair from the hand; an unmet opening requirement still matters.
Then read the conditions together
Open the full reference at its freezing and taking sections. Use an actual sample situation and identify which condition you are checking. Do not treat this brief note as an exhaustive decision tree.
Make a practice card
Write three prompts on paper: “What is on top?”, “What is the pile’s status?” and “What must come from my hand?” Ask the learner to locate each answer in the same reference before touching the pile. This exercise is intended to make the decision easier to explain, without adding any house rule.
Keep differences separate
If your app describes a different condition, record its named mode beside the example. Visit the app comparison checklist before assuming the app is wrong.