Forty Thieves Solitaire

Forty Thieves Solitaire earns its name from the forty cards dealt into ten tableau columns at the start. The game uses two full decks, eight foundations, and strict same-suit building. That creates a slower, tougher puzzle than Klondike. You cannot move packed sequences freely in the traditional rule set; you usually move one top card at a time. The challenge teaches patience, suit tracking, and long-range planning. Start a deal and try to move all eight suits home.

1. Deal ten tableau columns with four face-up cards in each column.
2. Use the remaining cards as the stock, turning one card at a time to the waste.
3. Build eight foundations upward by suit from Ace to King.
4. Build tableau columns downward by the same suit.
5. Move only available top cards unless your table rules allow packed sequence moves.
6. Place any available card into an empty tableau column.

• Forty Thieves uses two standard decks, for 104 cards total.
• The tableau starts with 40 face-up cards.
• Foundations build upward by suit, starting with Aces.
• Tableau piles build downward by the same suit, not by alternating color.
• Traditional rules allow only one card moved at a time.
• Stock cards usually pass through once, which makes waste timing important.

• Free Aces as soon as possible. Eight foundations need early starts before the tableau clogs.
• Build by suit in the tableau only when it improves access. Same-suit stacks can still trap useful lower cards.
• Use empty columns as working spaces. A single open column can sort one suit segment and rescue waste cards.
• Track duplicate ranks. Two 7 of Hearts cards exist, so one copy may be safe to bury while another remains available.
• Think before drawing. Waste cards can become unreachable if you cycle too quickly through the stock.

• Spider Solitaire: Also uses two decks, but it clears complete King-to-Ace suit sequences from the tableau.
• Josephine: A Forty Thieves variant that allows moving packed same-suit sequences together.
• Limited: A stricter family member that changes tableau and stock handling for a harder game.

• The two-deck setup gives the puzzle scale.
• Same-suit building rewards careful suit memory.
• Low win rates make each completed game feel earned.
• The rules are clear, but the decisions stay demanding.

Play Forty Thieves Solitaire online for free and work through one of the tougher two-deck patience games. Build foundations, manage empty columns, and use the stock carefully. A small mistake can cost the deal, so take your time.

Forty Thieves Solitaire suits players who want a slower, tougher card puzzle. Sort by suit, protect empty columns, and build eight foundations from Ace to King. Start your free game now.

• Forty Thieves Solitaire Guide
• Forty Thieves Rules and Tips