Forty Thieves Solitaire

Forty Thieves is one of the most challenging solitaire card games ever devised. Played with two full decks (104 cards), it features 10 tableau columns, 8 foundation piles, and a brutally restrictive same-suit building rule. Also known as Napoleon at St Helena, Big Forty, or Roosevelt at San Juan, this game has humbled card players for centuries.

How Forty Thieves Works

Deal 4 cards face-up to each of 10 tableau columns — that's the 40 cards that give the game its name. The remaining 64 cards form the stock pile. Build 8 foundation piles from Ace to King, one for each suit across both decks.

On the tableau, you build down in the same suit — a 9 of Spades on a 10 of Spades, a 5 of Hearts on a 6 of Hearts. Only one card can be moved at a time. Draw one card from the stock to the waste pile when you need more options. There is no recycling of the stock — once you've gone through it, those cards are gone.

Why It's So Hard

Three rules combine to make Forty Thieves exceptionally difficult. First, same-suit building means you can't mix colors on the tableau — far more restrictive than alternating-color games like Klondike. Second, single-card moves mean you can never pick up a sequence — every card must be moved individually. Third, the stock offers no second chances — once you draw through all 64 cards, you're done. Win rates hover around 5-10% even for experienced players.

Learn More

• How to Play Forty Thieves — Complete rules and setup guide
• Solitaire Strategy Guide — Tips to win more games
• Types of Solitaire — Explore 20+ solitaire variants
• How to Play FreeCell — Learn the classic open-information solitaire
• Play Spider Solitaire — Another multi-deck solitaire challenge