Forty Thieves Solitaire Family
What Defines the Forty Thieves Family?
Forty Thieves games use two full decks (104 cards), 10 tableau columns, and 8 foundation piles. They're known for strict single-card movement and same-suit building, making them among the hardest solitaire variants.
The Two Main Variants
Forty Thieves
Very Hard
- Win Rate: ~10%
- Movement: Single cards only
- Building: Same suit, descending
- Best For: Experts who want a brutal challenge
Josephine
Medium-Hard
- Win Rate: ~25%
- Movement: Sequences can move together
- Building: Same suit, descending
- Best For: Players wanting Forty Thieves with more flexibility
Key Differences at a Glance
| Feature | Forty Thieves | Josephine |
|---|---|---|
| Win Rate | ~10% | ~25% |
| Card Movement | Single cards only | Sequences can move |
| Decks Used | 2 (104 cards) | 2 (104 cards) |
| Tableau Columns | 10 | 10 |
| Building Rule | Same suit, descending | Same suit, descending |
| Difficulty | Very Hard | Medium-Hard |
Which Variant Should You Play?
- New to two-deck solitaire? Start with Josephine—sequence movement makes it much more forgiving
- Want the authentic challenge? Forty Thieves with its single-card-only rule is legendarily difficult
- Practicing for Forty Thieves? Josephine teaches the same-suit building concept with less frustration
The Critical Difference
In Forty Thieves, you can only move one card at a time. Built a beautiful sequence of ♠K-Q-J-10? You have to move each card individually. In Josephine, that entire sequence moves as one unit. This single rule change more than doubles the win rate.
Why Forty Thieves is So Hard
Forty Thieves earns its reputation through several punishing rules:
- Single-card movement: You can't move built sequences—only individual cards
- Same-suit building: A ♠7 can only go on a ♠8, not any black 8
- One pass through stock: No re-dealing the stock pile
- Limited space: With 40 cards in the tableau and 64 in the stock, planning is crucial
- Two of everything: Managing duplicate cards requires careful strategy
Strategy Tips for the Family
- Empty columns are gold: They let you temporarily store cards while rearranging
- Don't rush to foundations: Cards in play often help unlock other cards
- Watch for duplicates: With two of each card, blocking yourself is easy
- Plan stock draws: You only get one pass—make it count
How It Compares to Klondike
Coming from Klondike? Here's what's different:
- Two decks: 104 cards instead of 52
- Same-suit building: ♠ on ♠ only, not alternating colors
- More foundations: 8 piles instead of 4
- All cards face-up: No hidden cards in the tableau
- Much harder: Win rates of 10-25% vs Klondike's 40-50%