Forty Thieves Solitaire Game: Rules & Strategy

The 40 Thieves card game is a classic solitaire-style game that challenges your strategy and patience. It is perfect for those who love to play cards. With engaging gameplay and simple rules, it’s perfect for anyone who enjoys traditional card games, with an upgrade. In this game, you aim to build eight foundation piles in ascending order by suit, using two decks of cards.

How to Play 40 Thieves Card Game

Let's look at the forty thieves game rules and gameplay.

Objective

The goal of the Forty Thieves solitaire game is to move all the cards to the foundation piles, arranged in ascending order from Ace to King, by suit. You start with two decks of cards, and you must strategically move cards between tableau piles to free up space and eventually build the foundation piles. The game ends when all cards are placed in the correct order or no more valid moves are available.

Forty Thieves Game Set Up

Firstly, shuffle two standard 52-card decks together. Ensure all cards are facing the same direction.

Next, create 10 columns called tableau piles on the playing surface. Each column should have 4 cards, all face-up cards overlapping slightly so that all cards are visible. This gives you a total of 40 cards in the tableau.

Next, leave space for 8 foundation piles above or below the tableau. These piles will be used to build sequences from Ace to King, all in the same suit.

The remaining cards from the stockpile are placed face down. There is also a discard pile (waste pile) next to the stockpile, which starts empty.

Available Moves and Play Area

• You can move only the top card from each column in a tableau in the 40 Thieves card game.
• Cards must be placed in descending order and of the same suit. For example, you can place 9♠ on 10♠.
• You can only move one card at a time, and no sequences.
• If a tableau pile is empty, you can place any card there.
• You must start each pile with an Ace, and build up in ascending order by suit from Ace to King.
• When you are stuck, draw one card at a time from the stockpile.
• You can use these cards to play onto the tableau or foundations in the Forty Thieves game. But once the stockpile is empty, that’s it!
• The drawn card goes into the waste pile.
• You can play the top card from the waste pile onto the tableau or foundations if the move fits.

Rules of the Forty Thieves Game

To play Forty Thieves solitaire, here are the main rules you must be mindful of:

• You play the game using two standard decks of cards, which makes it a total of 104 cards.
• You begin by dealing 10 tableau columns, each with 4 cards placed face-up.
• The remaining cards form the stockpile, which is placed face down and used throughout the game.
• You must leave space for 8 foundation piles, where you will build sequences from Ace to King by suit.
• In the tableau, you can only build cards in descending order and the same suit.
• You are allowed to move only one card at a time, not entire sequences.
• Only the top card of each tableau pile is available for moving.
• You can place any single card into an empty tableau column to open up more moves.
• In the Forty Thieves solitaire game, foundation piles must be built from Ace to King and must follow the same suit.
• You may draw one card at a time from the stockpile and place it in the waste pile.
• Only the top card of the waste pile is available for play on the tableau or foundation.
• There are no re-deals allowed. So, once the stockpile is finished, you must play with what’s left on the table.
• The Forty Thieves solitaire card game is won when all 104 cards are successfully moved to the foundation piles in order. You can then move on to a new game.

Strategy to Win 40 Thieves Card Game

Here are a few strategies to help you win the 40 Thieves Solitaire game.

• In the Forty Thieves game, try to send Aces, Twos, and Threes early, as they are essential for building foundation piles.
• Since Kings can only be moved to empty tableau columns or foundations, avoid letting them block important lower cards.
• Empty columns increase your mobility. Use them to reposition cards and access buried ones, but avoid filling them without a clear purpose.
• In the Forty Thieves Solitaire game, not every available move is beneficial. Sometimes, it's better to wait and see how the game unfolds before making a move.
• Since there's no redeal, think twice before drawing from the stockpile. Unplayable cards can clog the waste pile and limit your options.
• Before making a move, consider its consequences and how it will affect your ability to make future moves.
• Always look for opportunities to move cards to the foundation piles in the Forty Thieves game, as this clears space in the tableau and brings you closer to winning.
• Keep practising online and offline games to improve your strategy.