Forty Thieves – how to play

Forty Thieves is one of the hardest solitaire games. All the cards on the table are face up from the start, but you move only one card at a time and go through the stock only once. Winning needs a good plan.

How to play, step by step

Step 1

The cards on the table

You play with two decks: 104 cards. There are 10 columns of 4 cards, all face up. The other 64 cards are in the stock at the top left, with the waste next to it. At the top right are 8 places for the foundations: two for each suit.

Stock Waste 8 foundations 10 columns, face up

1. 1 Stock
2. 2 Waste
3. 3 8 foundations
4. 4 10 columns, face up

Step 2

Build down in the same suit

Put a card on a card one rank higher of the same suit. For example, the 9 of hearts goes on the 10 of hearts, but not on the 10 of spades.

9 on 10, same suit Not on another suit

1. 1 9 on 10, same suit
2. 2 Not on another suit

Step 3

Move one card at a time

Only the top card of a column can be moved. A run of cards cannot be moved as a whole: you have to move it card by card, and for that you need free places.

Only the top card These wait their turn

1. 1 Only the top card
2. 2 These wait their turn

Step 4

Use an empty column

Any single card can go into an empty column. Empty columns are very valuable here: they are the only way to take a long run apart.

Empty column Any card

1. 1 Empty column
2. 2 Any card

Step 5

Turn cards from the stock

Click the stock to turn one card onto the waste. Only the top card of the waste can be played. You go through the stock only once: when it is empty, it does not come back.

One card per click Play the top card

1. 1 One card per click
2. 2 Play the top card

Step 6

Build the foundations

Start each foundation with an Ace and build up to the King in one suit. Each suit has two piles. Drag a card there, or double-click it (on a phone, tap it).

2 on the Ace Start with an Ace

1. 1 2 on the Ace
2. 2 Start with an Ace

Why is it so hard?

• You see all the cards on the table, but you move them only one by one.
• Cards build only on the same suit, so there are fewer places for each card.
• The stock is turned only once, so every card you let go by is gone.

Scoring

With timed scoring (the default) you lose 2 points for every 10 seconds of play, and a quick win earns a time bonus. You can switch to standard scoring in the Options.

Tips

• Make an empty column as soon as you can. Without one you cannot take a run apart.
• You see the stock only once. Remember the cards you let go by.
• Put Aces and 2s on the foundations at once. Higher cards can be more useful in the columns.
• Stuck? Play the same deal again with Retry game.

Rules of other solitaire games

• Klondike – rules
• Double klondike – rules
• Spider – rules