Forty Thieves is a two-deck solitaire with a reputation. Forty cards go out face up, the rest wait in the stock, and you get one trip through it. There is no second chance, so every move counts. Most deals beat even good players, which is exactly why people keep coming back to it.
Play it here free in your browser, on a computer or a phone, with no download and no sign-up. If the classic rules feel too tight, switch to Easy mode and move whole runs at once.
How to Play Forty Thieves
Setup. Two standard decks, 104 cards, are shuffled together. Ten columns of four cards each are dealt face up. The other 64 cards form the stock, with a waste pile beside it. There are eight foundations, two for each suit.
Goal. Build all eight foundations up by suit from Ace to King. When every card is on the foundations, you win.
Moves.
- Columns build down in the same suit. The 5 of clubs goes on the 6 of clubs.
- In Classic mode, you move one card at a time: the top card of a column or the top card of the waste.
- Any card can go into an empty column.
- Tap the stock to turn one card onto the waste. You go through the stock only once. There is no redeal.
- Cards cannot be taken back off a foundation.
- Aces go up automatically. Other cards go up on their own once both copies of the same-suit card one rank lower are already on the foundations.
Controls. Drag a card, or tap it to send it to the best legal spot. If you turn tap-to-move off in Settings, a double-tap sends a card to a foundation. Undo and Redo are unlimited, Restart replays the same deal, and Hint suggests a useful move (or says it found none). Shortcuts: Ctrl or Cmd+Z to undo, Ctrl+Y to redo, H for a hint, N for a new game. Settings also cover the card back and sound.
The toolbar shows the timer, move counter, score and deal number. Add ?deal=NUMBER to the page address to replay a deal.
Your statistics (games won, win rate, streaks, best time) and any unfinished game are saved in this browser.
Game Modes: Classic and Easy
- Classic. The traditional rules. Only one card moves at a time, so a run of five spades is stuck unless you have room to take it apart card by card.
- Easy. You may also move a same-suit run as a unit, as long as you have enough empty columns to have done it one card at a time. With no empty column you move one card, with one empty column up to 2, with two up to 4, with three up to 8. If you are moving into an empty column, that column does not count.
Forty Thieves Strategy Tips
- An empty column is worth more than anything. Clearing one column early is usually the whole game. Pick the column with the fewest or most movable cards and go after it.
- Do not drop a single card into an empty column without a reason. Once you fill it, you have lost your only flexible space. Fill it with a card that starts a useful run, such as a King or a high card you can build on.
- Play from the columns before the stock. With one pass, every card you turn and cannot use clogs the waste. Make every tableau move you can before you turn the next card.
- Keep the waste short. A tall waste pile buries cards you will want later. If a waste card can go anywhere useful, play it.
- Remember there are two of every card. If the 7 of hearts you need is buried, the other 7 of hearts may be one card from the top of a different column. Look for both before you commit.
- Do not build long runs on low cards. A run of hearts sitting on a 3 of diamonds can trap that 3 for the rest of the game. Build on cards that will not be needed on the foundations soon.
A Little History
Forty Thieves is one of the old two-deck patience games, and it is also known as Napoleon at St. Helena. If you want a gentler game with a similar feel, try Spider Solitaire or FreeCell. For a one-deck game with a stock and waste, try Klondike or Canfield.
Forty Thieves FAQ
Why is Forty Thieves so hard?
You build by suit, you move one card at a time in the Classic game, and you get only one pass through the stock. Most deals are lost even with careful play.
What is the difference between Classic and Easy?
In Classic, you move one card at a time. In Easy, you can also move a same-suit run as a unit, as long as you have enough empty columns to have done it one card at a time. Everything else is the same.
Can I go through the stock more than once?
No. The stock is turned one card at a time onto the waste, and when it runs out there is no redeal.
How is the score counted?
You get 5 points for every card on the foundations. All 104 cards up gives 520 points, which is a win.
Can I take a card back from a foundation?
No. Once a card is on a foundation, it stays there. Cards only go up automatically when both lower cards of that suit are already up, so the automatic moves only take cards that nothing else can be built on.
Is Forty Thieves free to play here?
Yes. It is free, with no download and no sign-up, on desktop and phone browsers. Your game and statistics are saved in your browser.
More solitaire games
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- FreeCell Every card face up. Four free cells. Nearly every deal can be won.
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- Golf Solitaire Seven columns, one waste pile. Play one rank up or down and finish with no cards left.
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- Baker’s Dozen Thirteen open columns, Kings tucked underneath. Build down in any suit, one card at a time.
- Beleaguered Castle The Aces start on the foundations. Eight open rows, single-card moves, no free cells.
- Eight Off FreeCell’s roomier cousin: eight free cells, same-suit building, Kings only in empty columns.
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- Accordion Solitaire Squeeze a row of 52 cards into one pile by matching suit or rank, one or three spaces to the left.
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