Forty Thieves (3 deck)

Game Objective:

The primary goal in Forty Thieves (3 deck) Solitaire is to move all 156 cards (from three standard 52-card decks) to the twelve foundation piles, building each foundation up in ascending order by suit from Ace to King.

Setup & Layout:

• Decks Used: Three standard 52-card decks (totaling 156 cards).
• Tableau:
• Twelve tableau piles.
• Four cards are dealt face up to each tableau pile (48 cards total).
• All tableau cards are dealt face up and splayed downward so all are visible.
• Foundations:
• Twelve foundation piles, one for each suit from each deck.
• All foundations start empty.
• Stock:
• The remaining 108 cards (after dealing to the tableau) form the stock pile, placed face down.
• Waste:
• A single waste pile, which begins empty.

Key Play Areas Defined:

• Tableau: The main play area of twelve piles where cards are built down by suit.
• Foundations: The twelve piles to which cards are built up by suit, starting with Aces.
• Stock: The face-down pile from which cards are drawn one at a time.
• Waste: The face-up pile where cards from the stock are placed and may be played from.

Forty Thieves (3 deck) Solitaire Rules:

• Card Movement:
• Only the top card of each tableau pile or the top card of the waste pile may be moved at any time.
• Tableau Building:
• Cards in the tableau are built down in sequence by the same suit (e.g., 7♠ on 8♠).
• Only one card may be moved at a time; sequences cannot be moved as a unit.
• Foundation Building:
• Foundations are built up in sequence by the same suit, starting with Ace and ending with King.
• Only Aces may be moved to empty foundation piles.
• Stock and Waste:
• Cards are drawn one at a time from the stock to the waste pile, face up.
• Only the top card of the waste pile is available for play to either the tableau or the foundations.
• There is no redeal; the stock may only be gone through once.
• Filling Empty Tableau Piles:
• Any single card may be moved to an empty tableau pile.
• There are no restrictions on which card can fill an empty tableau.

Gameplay:

• Turn Sequence:
• Move available cards (top of tableau or waste) to foundations if possible.
• Build tableau piles down by suit using available cards.
• Move any available card to fill empty tableau piles.
• When no further moves are possible, draw the top card from the stock and place it face up on the waste pile.
• Repeat the process: play from tableau and waste, draw from stock as needed.
• Introducing New Cards:
• New cards are introduced by drawing from the stock to the waste pile, one at a time.
• Once a card is on the waste pile, it is available for play to the tableau or foundations.
• No More Legal Moves:
• If no moves are available and the stock is empty, the game ends.

Winning & Losing Conditions:

• Winning Condition:
• The game is won when all 156 cards are successfully moved to the twelve foundations, each built up by suit from Ace to King.
• Losing/Unwinnable Condition:
• The game is lost if the stock is exhausted and no further legal moves are possible, with cards remaining in the tableau or waste.

Special Rules & Edge Cases:

• Filling Empty Tableau Spaces:
• Any single card (from the tableau or waste) may be moved to fill an empty tableau pile; there are no suit or rank restrictions for filling spaces.
• No Sequence Moves:
• Only individual cards may be moved; partial or full sequences cannot be moved together.
• No Redeals:
• Once the stock is depleted, no redeals are permitted.
• Multiple Foundations per Suit:
• Since three decks are used, there will be three foundation piles for each suit (e.g., three for Spades, three for Hearts, etc.).

Unique Restrictions:

• The game is notably difficult due to the strict one-card movement rule and the large number of tableau and foundation piles.
• Strategic management of tableau spaces and careful timing of stock draws are essential for success.

Summary of Key Terms:

• Tableau: The main area where cards are arranged and manipulated, built down by suit.
• Foundation: The target piles, built up by suit from Ace to King.
• Stock: The reserve pile from which cards are drawn.
• Waste: The pile where drawn cards are placed and made available for play.

All rules and mechanics above are based on official and reputable sources for Forty Thieves (3 deck) Solitaire.