Forty Thieves Solitaire Rules

Forty Thieves is one of the most well-known solitaire games played with two decks of cards. The name refers to the 40 cards dealt to the tableau at the start of the game. The game dates back to the 1800s and is said to have been a favourite of Napoleon during his exile on the island of Saint Helena.

You need two standard decks shuffled together (104 cards, no jokers). The goal is to move all cards to eight foundation piles, sorted by suit from Ace to King. This is a tough solitaire where you can expect to win roughly 1 in 10 games with good strategy. Planning and patience matter more than luck.

Shuffle both decks together thoroughly. Deal 40 cards into ten columns of four cards each, all face up and slightly overlapping so that every card is visible. This area is called the tableau.

Above the tableau, leave space for eight foundation piles (empty at the start). The remaining 64 cards form the stock pile, placed face down. Next to it is space for a waste pile.

The main rules for moving cards:

• One card at a time: You can only move the top card of a column. You cannot move multiple cards together, even if they form a proper sequence.
• Building in the tableau: Cards are placed in descending order by the same suit. For example, 5♠️ can only be placed on 6♠️.
• Empty columns: Any card can be placed in an empty column.
• Foundations: Build up by suit from Ace to King (A, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, J, Q, K). Since you have two decks, you need eight foundation piles, two for each suit.
• Waste pile: The top card of the waste pile can always be played to the tableau or foundations.

When you have no more moves in the tableau, turn one card from the stock to the waste pile. The top card of the waste pile is always available for play.

You can only go through the stock once. When all 64 cards have been turned over, you cannot reshuffle the waste pile and start again. This is one of the main reasons the game is so challenging.

The game is won when all 104 cards have been placed in the eight foundation piles, sorted by suit from Ace to King.

The game is lost when you have no more legal moves and the stock is empty. Not every deal can be solved, and even experienced players only win about 1 in 10 attempts. The key to success is freeing up columns and planning your moves carefully.