Forty Thieves (40 Thieves) uses two standard decks (104 cards). Ten tableau columns hold four cards each at the start. Eight foundation piles are built by suit from Ace to King. In the tableau you build down by the same suit (e.g. 10ā„ on Jā„). Only the top card of each column is in play. You draw one card at a time from the stock. An empty column may be filled with any card. The goal is to move all 104 cards to the eight foundations.
Forty Thieves is a classic two-deck game that rewards planning. This version uses the same dark-green theme and Spanish-style cards as our Golf Solitaire. Play free ā no download or signup.
Forty Thieves has been played for over a century. The "40" refers to the 40 cards initially in the tableau (10 columns Ć 4 cards). It's sometimes called Napoleon at St. Helena or other names in different regions.
As a two-deck game with strict suit-building, it's more challenging than many single-deck solitaires. It remains popular in card game books and digital collections.
Forty Thieves uses 104 cards (two full decks). Ten tableau columns each start with four cards. The remaining 64 cards form the stock. Eight foundation spaces are for building by suit.
Build each foundation from Ace to King in one suit. There are eight foundations (two per suit). Move Aces up as soon as possible, then build 2 through King. You need both of each rank in each suit to complete the game.
In the tableau, build down in the same suit (e.g. 9ā¦ on 10ā¦). Only the top card of each column can be moved. You may move one card at a time. Empty columns can be filled with any single card.
Draw one card at a time from the stock. The drawn card can be played to a foundation or to a tableau column (if it fits). You typically get one pass through the stock; use it wisely.
An empty column may hold any single card. Use empty columns to reorganize: move a card there so you can reach the card below it in another column. Don't fill empty columns too early.
You win when all 104 cards are in the eight foundations. You lose when the stock is exhausted and no legal move remains. Good planning and order of play greatly improve your chances.
Use these tips to win more Forty Thieves games:
Get Aces to the foundations as soon as they're available. That opens space and lets you build. Don't leave an Ace buried in a column if you can move it.
Use empty columns to free Aces. Move cards that block Aces to an empty column so you can play the Ace to a foundation.
Empty columns are valuable. Don't fill one with a random card. Use them to reorganize: move a card so you can access the card underneath elsewhere.
If you have two empty columns, you can often sequence moves to clear a blocked card. Plan before filling the first empty column.
You usually get one pass through the stock. Before drawing, make every possible tableau and foundation move. Once you draw, the new card might open options ā or it might not.
Sometimes drawing early gives you an Ace or a card that unblocks a column. Other times it's better to clear as much as you can from the tableau first. It depends on the layout.
When you have a choice, prefer building in a column that already has a long same-suit sequence. That keeps columns organized and makes it easier to move cards to foundations.
Don't spread the same suit across many columns if you can consolidate. One column with 10-9-8-7 of hearts is easier to manage than those cards in four different columns.
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Forty Thieves is free with no paywalls. We also offer Golf, Spider, FreeCell, Klondike, Pyramid, TriPeaks, and Yukon on the same site.