How to Play Josephine Solitaire
The complete rules of Josephine Solitaire, with twelve illustrated examples of legal and illegal moves. Two decks, ten tableau piles, eight foundations and a single pass through the stock.
The objective
The objective of Josephine Solitaire is to move all 104 cards onto the eight foundation piles. Each foundation must contain cards from the same suit, starting with an Ace and continuing in order through the King.
Josephine Solitaire is played with two standard decks of cards. The game has ten tableau piles, eight foundation piles, a stock pile and a waste pile. All of the cards in the tableau are dealt facing up, but only the uncovered card or sequence at the bottom of each pile can be moved.
| Decks | Two standard decks shuffled together |
|---|---|
| Cards | 104 |
| Tableau piles | 10, four cards each, all face up |
| Foundation piles | 8 — two for every suit |
| Stock | 64 cards, face down |
| Redeal | None. One pass through the stock |
| Tableau builds | Down in the same suit |
| Foundations build | Up in the same suit, Ace to King |
Setting up the game
- Shuffle two standard decks together. This gives you a total of 104 cards.
- Deal four cards facing up into each of the ten tableau piles. This uses 40 cards. The remaining 64 cards are placed facing down to form the stock pile.
- Leave space above the tableau for eight foundation piles. There are two foundation piles for each suit, since the game uses two decks.
How the game is played
- Move any available Aces to the empty foundation piles. Each foundation must begin with an Ace.
- Build each foundation upward in the same suit. An Ace is followed by a 2, then a 3, 4, 5 and so on, until the foundation ends with a King.
- Build the tableau piles downward in the same suit. For example, the 7 of clubs can be placed on the 8 of clubs. The 7 of hearts cannot be placed on the 8 of clubs, even though it is one rank lower.
- You can move one available card from one tableau pile to another. You can also move a complete sequence of cards when all of the cards are arranged downward in the same suit. For example, a sequence containing the 9 of diamonds, 8 of diamonds and 7 of diamonds can be moved together onto the 10 of diamonds.
- When a tableau pile becomes empty, you can fill the empty space with any available card or any correctly arranged sequence of cards.
- When you cannot make another useful move in the tableau, turn over the top card of the stock pile and place it facing up on the waste pile.
- The top card of the waste pile can be moved to a foundation pile or a tableau pile when it makes a legal move.
- Continue turning over the stock pile one card at a time. You can only go through the stock pile once. There is no redeal.
- The game is won when all 104 cards have been moved onto the eight foundation piles. Each foundation will contain thirteen cards of the same suit, arranged from Ace to King.
Move examples
Each diagram below explains exactly one rule. A green arrow marks a legal move; a red arrow with an X marks a move the rules do not allow.
Example 1: Building a Foundation
The Ace of hearts is moved to an empty foundation pile. The 2 of hearts can then be placed on the Ace of hearts, followed by the 3 of hearts.
Example 2: Building Down in the Tableau
The 7 of clubs can be moved onto the 8 of clubs.
Example 3: Moving the Wrong Suit
The 7 of hearts cannot be moved onto the 8 of clubs.
Example 4: Moving a Sequence
The 9 of diamonds, 8 of diamonds and 7 of diamonds are arranged together in one tableau pile. The complete sequence can be moved onto the 10 of diamonds.
Example 5: Moving an Incorrect Sequence
The 9 of spades, 8 of spades and 7 of clubs cannot be moved together as one sequence.
Example 6: Filling an Empty Tableau Pile
A tableau pile has been cleared and is now empty. The Queen of hearts can be moved into the empty space.
Example 7: Filling an Empty Pile with a Sequence
A sequence containing the Jack of clubs, 10 of clubs and 9 of clubs can be moved into an empty tableau pile.
Example 8: Playing a Card from the Waste Pile
The top card of the waste pile is the 6 of spades. A tableau pile ends with the 7 of spades.
Example 9: Moving a Waste Card to a Foundation
A spade foundation contains the Ace, 2 and 3 of spades. The top card of the waste pile is the 4 of spades.
Example 10: A Card That Cannot Be Played
The top card of the waste pile is the 9 of hearts. There is no 10 of hearts available at the bottom of a tableau pile, and the heart foundations are not ready for the 9 of hearts.
Example 11: Only the Available Card Can Be Moved
A tableau pile contains the King of clubs, 5 of hearts and 4 of hearts, with the 4 of hearts at the bottom.
Example 12: Completing a Foundation
A club foundation contains every club from the Ace through the Queen. The available card is the King of clubs.
How it differs from Klondike
If you have played Klondike, three differences will catch you out. Josephine uses two decks instead of one, the tableau builds down in the same suit rather than in alternating colours, and there is no redeal. Everything else — Aces upward on the foundations, sequences moved as a unit, empty piles open to anything — will feel familiar.
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