Why play Emperor?
Emperor combines long two-deck tableau play with alternating-colour sequence movement, making it feel like a larger, harsher cousin of Klondike.
Double-deck variant
Emperor Solitaire
Two standard decks are shuffled together and dealt to ten tableau columns, four cards each — three face-down and one face-up. The remaining 64 cards form the stock, turned over one at a time onto the waste pile. Build eight foundation piles (one per suit, two each) upward from Ace to King. On the tableau, move single cards or packed sequences of alternating colors onto a card of the next higher rank and opposite color. Empty columns may only be filled by a King or a King-led sequence.
Click the stock to draw cards, or select a face-up card to move it.
Stock
Waste
Waste empty
#14
#24
#34
#44
#54
#64
#74
#84
#94
#104
Rules overview
Build eight suit foundations from Ace to King, move alternating-colour sequences on the tableau, and reserve empty columns for Kings or King-led groups.
Strategy tips
- Open face-down cards aggressively because hidden blockers compound quickly in a double-deck game.
- Save empty columns for long King-led sequences that unlock several moves.
- Waste timing matters because Emperor gives you more tactical options than strict Forty Thieves variants.
Need more detail? Read the Emperor strategy guide.