Cannot drop, your card needs to be of an opposite suit colour
Cannot drop, your card needs to be one rank lower
Cannot move multiple cards to foundation
Card suit doesn't match foundation pile suit
Card can only be dropped on top of a card pile
Cannot deal cards when there are empty tableau piles
You can only move {0} card(s) at a time based on the current free cells and tableau
The cards don't add up to 13 and cannot be moved
The card is inaccessible and move cannot be performed
Cards must be in sequential order (one higher or lower)
Josephine Solitaire
Josephine Solitaire – Play Online (Classic Forty Thieves Variant)
Introduction
Ready to steal some fun? Josephine Solitaire is a classic two-deck patience game (solitaire) with a playful twist 😃. It’s a beloved variation of the notorious Forty Thieves solitaire, but a bit more forgiving for the player. In fact, Josephine is named after Napoleon Bonaparte’s wife – a nod to the Napoleonic legend behind Forty Thieves. This game lets you do something sneaky the original didn’t: move entire sequences of cards at once, which opens up clever new moves and boosts your chances to win. If you’ve ever found Forty Thieves too tough, Josephine might just become your new favorite way to play cards! ♠️♥️
Playing Josephine Solitaire online here at solitairex.io/josephine-solitaire is easy and completely free 🎉. The game runs directly in your browser (no downloads needed), so you can jump straight into the action. Whether you’re a seasoned solitaire pro or just discovering this classic Forty Thieves variation, you’ll enjoy the mix of strategy and luck Josephine offers. Give it a try right on this page and see if you can outsmart the deck – a solitaire adventure awaits!
How to Play
Josephine Solitaire starting layout: 10 columns of 4 cards form the tableau, with 8 foundation piles above (using two decks of cards).
Setup & Goal: Josephine Solitaire uses two standard 52-card decks (104 cards). To start, deal 40 cards face-up into 10 tableau columns (4 cards per column). Above the tableau, leave space for 8 foundation piles – your goal is to move all cards here, building each foundation up in suit from Ace to King. The remaining cards form a stock pile that you can draw from when no more moves are available on the tableau. You win by moving all 104 cards onto the foundations in ascending order, completing all eight piles from Ace through King.
Tableau Rules: On the tableau, you build cards downward by suit. That means you can place a card onto another card that is one rank higher and of the same suit (for example, you can move a 5♣ onto a 6♣). You may move only the top card of a column at first – unless you have a ready-formed sequence in descending order by suit. Josephine’s special rule allows you to pick up and move an entire sequence of cards if they are all in perfect descending suit order! This nifty ability is what makes Josephine stand out: you can shift around a stack of cards in one go, which really helps to uncover hidden cards and create new opportunities. Keep an eye out for chances to move a whole run of cards instead of one-by-one. Also remember, any time you clear a column and create an empty space, you can fill that empty column with any card or sequence of cards – it’s a free slot to park whatever card(s) might help you most. Use those empty columns wisely to reorganize the tableau and set up your next moves.
Stock & Waste: If you run out of moves among the face-up cards on the tableau, you can draw from the stock. Click or tap the stock pile to flip one card at a time into a waste pile. The top card of the waste is available to play – you can either add it to a tableau column (if it fits the descending-suit sequence rule) or play it directly to a foundation if its rank and suit allow. Plan carefully because there are no redeals in Josephine – you only get one pass through the stock. Once you’ve gone through all stock cards, that’s it, so make every draw count! The game continues until you either run out of moves or successfully move every card to the foundations. Get all those piles to King and you’ve conquered the puzzle. Good luck, and enjoy this engaging solitaire challenge 😄!
History & Trivia
Josephine Solitaire was born as a clever offshoot of Forty Thieves (also known as “Napoleon at St. Helena”) – a classic two-deck solitaire game famous for its difficulty. The exact inventor of Josephine is unknown (it likely evolved from players tweaking Forty Thieves), but one of its earliest known mentions in print was in the late 1930s. The game fittingly carries a Napoleonic theme in its name: it’s named after Josephine de Beauharnais, Napoleon Bonaparte’s first wife. This naming wasn’t just random – in the lore of solitaire, Napoleon himself has a game named after him (the original Forty Thieves), so Josephine Solitaire became the “companion” game named after his wife, presumably as a nod to the idea that this variant is a gentler counterpart.
A fun bit of trivia: legend says Napoleon passed the time playing solitaire during his exile, which is why the Forty Thieves game took on the name Napoleon at St. Helena. Josephine Solitaire, as the “easier” variant, continues that story by offering a more winnable game in honor of the Empress 😉. By allowing multi-card moves, Josephine is indeed more forgiving than standard Forty Thieves. In fact, skilled players can win roughly 1 in 4 games of Josephine, significantly better odds than the notoriously low win rate of the original Forty Thieves. This balance of challenge and opportunity has made Josephine a enduring favorite for solitaire enthusiasts who enjoy Forty Thieves-style games but appreciate a fighting chance to beat the deck.
More Forty Thieves Solitaire Games
Josephine is just one member of the Forty Thieves solitaire family. If you enjoy this style of two-deck, strategic gameplay, there are plenty of other variants to explore! For example, Diplomat is another popular offshoot that relaxes the rules a bit (it lets you build down regardless of suit), giving a different flavor of challenge. You can find many more Forty Thieves–style games to try in our collection – check out the Forty Thieves solitaire games on solitairex.io for a full list. There you’ll find Diplomat and other fun variants, each with its own twist and theme. Whether you stick with Josephine or venture into other versions, the Forty Thieves family offers hours of strategic card-playing fun. ✨ Enjoy exploring and happy solitairing!
Case Studies
All figures below come directly from our database. Using first-party data ensures every insight is evidence-based, up-to-date, and privacy-respectful.
| Game Tier | Stand-out Titles | Win Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Quick Wins | Spider (1 Suit), Hole-in-One, TriPeaks | 70–84% |
| Fair Challenges | Solitaire (Draw 1) – 913 k plays FreeCell, Golf |
45–63% |
| Expert-Level | Spider (4 Suits), Forty Thieves, Double Scorpion | ≤11% |
Curious which moves turn the odds in your favor? Explore all the data & strategies →
What people say about us
Interview with Beverley Walker-Daury
At 87, Beverley Walker-Daury shares how SolitaireX brings joy, companionship, and purpose to her days in a retirement home.
Player Interview: Poul Andersen
Poul Andersen shares how playing SolitaireX helps him keep his brain sharp and active.
Player Interview: Peter Gross
Peter Gross, 81, shares how SolitaireX became his go-to place for relaxing Freecell games and friendly competition.
Player Spotlight: St0Sh0’s Record-Breaking Runs on SolitaireX
We sit down with speed-solitaire sensation St0Sh0 to talk record times, favorite variants, and why SolitaireX is his go-to card-game hub.
Fresh from the SolitaireX Blog
What Your Favorite Solitaire Variation Says About You
Your go-to solitaire game isn’t just a pastime—it’s a window into your personality. See what Klondike, FreeCell, Spider, Pyramid, or Golf says about you.
The Top 10 Facts About Solitaire You Probably Didn’t Know
Think you know Solitaire? This evidence‑packed guide uncovers the real odds, the tiny rules that swing win rates, and a sabermetrics‑style approach to practice—with a 7‑minute drill, pro tips, and trusted sources.
Data Insights and Strategies to Improve Your Win Rate
Classic Solitaire (Klondike) is a game of both skill and luck, and even seasoned players don’t win every deal. In fact, last month on SolitaireX.io, 913,106 games of Classic Solitaire were played, with 409,374 wins and 503,732 losses, an overall win rate of about 45%.
Why We Created Rouge et Noir Solitaire
Many of us fell in love with solitaire by watching our elders play by a warm hearth, marveling at their patience and strategy. This nostalgia and passion for card games fueled our desire to revive Rouge et Noir Solitaire on solitairex.io
Latest guides crafted by Stoyan Shopov and Kalin Nikolov
Golf Solitaire Mastery: Strategy, Stats & Flow
Deal 7 columns of 5 face‑up cards (35 total). The remaining 17 cards*form the stock; flip the first stock card to start the waste. You may move only exposed tableau cards, and only if the rank is exactly one higher or lower than the waste top. Suits don’t matter. When no move exists, flip a new waste card. Clear all tableau cards to win.
TriPeaks Solitaire Mastery: Strategy & Analytics
Two peaks are dust; one stubborn ridge remains. Your waste shows a 9. The tableau flashes 10‑J‑10‑9‑8 like a heartbeat. You nudge the 10, feel the cadence lock in, and—without overthinking—trace a neat descent that crumbles the last peak. That tiny spark of *flow* is why TriPeaks hooks serious players: rhythm, restraint, and the rush of a run that arrives exactly on time.
Pyramid Solitaire Mastery: Strategy, Stats & Joy
Picture the pyramid down to its last stubborn tier: a Queen pinned beneath a ridge, a lone Ace on the waste, and a King begging to be burned for tempo. Heartbeat, breath, click—then the whole structure yields in a rush. If you’ve hit that razor‑edge finale, you already know Pyramid’s secret: small decisions, made in the right order, change everything.
FreeCell Solitaire Mastery: Strategy & Analytics Guide
I have a 15 years personal, lived experience—picture a scene built from thousands of session logs and notes from serious players: It’s late, and the board looks jammed. You clear a single column, free one cell, and suddenly a 9♣‑8♦‑7♣‑6♦ chain glides into place, untying the knot you stared at for ten minutes. The rush isn’t luck—it’s the quiet pleasure of a plan snapping into focus. When did FreeCell last feel less like “killing time” and more like practicing a craft you can actually master?
Media About Us
MSN News
Players are drawn back to solitaire in 2025 for many reasons, from unwinding and improving mental acuity. Its online accessibility is exceptional.
barchart
SolitaireX delivers an immersive online solitaire experience with customizable gameplay, daily challenges, and a vibrant global community.
USA News
SolitaireX offers a premium online solitaire experience with new features and an innovative gaming platform. Discover how the platform reimagines traditional gameplay with customizable modes, leaderboards, and seamless accessibility.
AP News
SolitaireX, an innovative online solitaire platform, offers an immersive and dynamic experience with customizable gameplay, daily challenges, and a competitive community.
0