Winning percentage in Forty Thieves extremely low - any ideas why?

I have played this game in several versions, on both Windows and Mac, and over time my winning percentage has been very consistent - right around 6 or 7 percent, which is right in line with the 1/15 win ratio predicted for Forty Thieves.

Why is it then, that my win percentage on Green Felt is more like 1 percent? Because of the low probability of winning, at first I thought it was just the usual FT slog, something I've come to know and love. Then I started keeping track and I found that the Green Felt version is somehow biased against the player - only 1 to 2 percent win rate.

This game is almost entirely dependent on chance - player skill is a factor, but only becomes one when the shuffle allows it. That's why I suspect that there is some key difference between other versions and the Green Felt version. For example, in Free Cell, it's well known that some versions will allow the shuffle to result in an instance of the game that is impossible to win, while others automatically disallow impossible instances. Is something similar going on with the various versions of Forty Thieves?

Comments

  • There is someone who plays on this site who's main interest is studying and analyzing percentages. His user name is @zudensternen, send him a private message and I'm sure he will get back to you if he is not busy with the holidays. Tell him @anglais sent you. The best of luck and happy holidays.

  • If no one has won, I assume that the game is impossible to win. If only one person has won, I'll try to win. At least on this site you know whether you've got a chance to win. I've played for a long time and never knew if the games I couldn't win were, in face, winnable.

    Happy New Year to all.

  • I would have to say forty thieves is more skill than you have given credit for, look at the span of scores on a moderately difficult game, I know if i play the same game over and over i usually get increasing scores

  • am lucky to win 1% of green felt forty thieves nowadays
    Thought I used to get more
    Are they just random shuffles or are parameters input into a computer program to make a certain number of wins impossible
    It's got a nice Gui interface and the cards deal nicely and they work smoothly so I keep trying g LOL
    Yes I have also played other 40 thieves online and got a bigger winning percentage often forget to sign in tho so my stat's dont come up
    get a very higher free cell percentage tho as people here also do

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