How to Play Carthage Solitaire

A two-deck game combining reserve piles that feed cards into play with a separate tableau built in descending same-suit sequences. The goal: Move all 104 cards to the eight foundations, building each suit from Ace to King.

Setup

1. Eight foundation piles start empty (two per suit for two decks)
2. Six reserve piles are dealt 6 cards each face up (36 cards total); only the top card of each pile can be played
3. Eight tableau piles start with one card each face up
4. The stock contains the remaining cards

How to play

• Click the stock to deal 2 more cards onto each of the six reserve piles
• Only the top card of a reserve pile can be played to the tableau or foundations
• Build tableau piles down in same suit (a 5♠ goes on a 6♠)
• Matching cards automatically move to the foundations once no other move is available for them; you can configure this in Settings
• Empty reserve piles act as free cells, accepting any single card
• Empty tableau piles accept any card to help maneuver through tighter spots

How to win

Objective: Move all 104 cards to the eight foundations, building each suit from Ace to King.

You win when all 104 cards reach the foundations. You're stuck when no more legal moves are available and cards remain in reserve or tableau.

Tips

• Playing a reserve pile's top card reveals the card beneath it, so track which piles are close to running out
• Build long sequences in the tableau when possible before moving to foundations
• Fully clearing a reserve pile opens a flexible spot that will take any card later

Play Carthage free on Windows

CardTray is a free solitaire app for Windows that includes Carthage alongside 300+ other games. It saves every move as you play, so you can close the window and pick the game up later, replay any deal, and take on a new Daily Challenge deal every day. Browse every game in the Game Gallery.

Related games

More games from the Forty Thieves family:

• Mamy Susan — A two-deck Forty Thieves cousin with an extra five-card reserve pile on the side, giving you a second source of playable cards alongside the ten tableau piles.
• Saxony — Saxony combines cells for maneuvering with reserve piles that you build on downward by suit.
• Squadron — A streamlined Forty Thieves variant using two decks with three reserve cells to temporarily hold cards.
• Algiers — Algiers is a three-deck game with a reserve of 54 cards and two tableau areas.