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Forty Thieves variant

Josephine Solitaire

Two decks. Strict rules. A genuine challenge.

Josephine is Forty Thieves with one critical relaxation: you can move groups of suited cards together. That single change roughly triples the win rate - from ~6% in the parent game up to about 18% - while keeping the strategic core intact.

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Easy 18% win rate
Josephine solitaire opening layout
Opening deal of Josephine - Forty Thieves family

How to play Josephine

Goal - Move all the cards to the Foundation

Decks

  • 2 decks (104 cards)

Redeals

  • No

Foundation

  • Built up by suit from Ace to King
  • The top card of each pile is available for move

Tableau

  • Built down by suit
  • The top card of each pile is available for move
  • Group of cards in the proper sequence can be moved
  • An empty pile can be filled with any card or correctly ranked pile

Stock

  • Press to turn over 1 card from the Stock to the Waste

Waste

  • The top card of each pile is available for move

Strategy & tips

  • Empty columns are precious - you'll need at least one to make complex re-orderings possible.
  • Don't bury low ranks. A 3 trapped under 8 cards is often a lost game.
  • Try the Relaxed variants first if Forty Thieves classic feels punishing.

Origin & history

Named after Joséphine de Beauharnais, Napoleon's first wife. The variant makes Forty Thieves enjoyable for players who don't have St Helena's worth of free time.

Other Forty Thieves variants

View all 9 →
Free forever

Free forever. No interruptions.

Install once, play for years. iOS and Android - pick your store and you're a tap away from the table.

Download on the App Store GET IT ON Google Play
4.6 App Store 5.0 Google Play