Play Emperor Solitaire Online for Free (No Signup Required)
Uncover three hidden cards in every pile, build down in alternating colors instead of suit, and see if you can beat this tough two-deck game's 20% odds.
Emperor Solitaire is a member of the Forty Thieves family that has been appearing in patience books since the late nineteenth century. Two full decks are dealt into ten piles of four cards, but unlike its famous cousin, Emperor hides three of the four cards in every pile, so much of each game is spent uncovering what you have been dealt.
Two rule changes set it apart from Forty Thieves: the tableau is built down in alternating colors instead of in suit, and only one card may be moved at a time. The color-blind building gives you far more places to land a card, but the face-down deal and the single pass through the stock keep the game honest.
Emperor is difficult, winning around 20% of the time across its two decks, so plan your color-alternating runs before committing a card, since skill carries most of the weight.
For more of the same feeling, go to Forty Thieves Solitaire or Rank and File Solitaire next.
If Emperor's got you hooked, the original Solitaire offers a simpler, one-deck version of the same building logic.
If you run into anything odd or have an idea that would make the game better, please contact me.
Enjoy playing!
How to play Emperor Solitaire
Layout:
8 foundation piles: Build up in suit from Ace to King.
10 tableau piles: Build down in alternating colors. Each pile is dealt four cards at the start of the game, with only the top card face up. Only single cards may be moved. Any card can fill a space.
Stock: Click to flip over cards one at a time to the waste. There are no redeals.
Waste: The top card is playable.
Foundation:
There are eight foundation piles.
Every foundation pile starts with an ace. A card can be added to a foundation pile only if it's one rank higher and the same suit as the pile's current top card, so the only card that fits on an 8 of spades is a 9 of spades. A pile is complete when it reaches the king.
The top card of each foundation can be moved back into play if another pile will accept it.
Tableau:
Ten tableau piles of four cards each. Only the top card of each pile is dealt face-up; the three cards beneath it lie face down and are turned over as they become exposed.
A card can be added to a tableau pile only if it's one rank lower and the opposite color of the pile's current top card, so the only cards that fit on an 8 of spades are the 7 of hearts and the 7 of diamonds.
Cards on the tableau that are not covered by another card are free to be played onto the foundation or any other tableau pile.
Any card from the tableau or the waste may fill an empty tableau space.
Only one card may be moved at a time; sequences are not permitted.
Stock and waste:
There is one waste pile, and the remaining sixty-four cards make up the stock.
When you click on the stock, one card from the stock is dealt to the waste. There's only one pass through the stock.
The top card of the waste can be played to the tableau or foundation.
