Jokers & Thieves (Play in browser)

Jokers & Thieves is a beat-your-own-solitaire played with a standard deck of cards. 

You play as unscrupulous Jokers (street performers) and Thieves (pickpockets), targeting people in a city square crowd (a single line of 4 cards from a 4x4 grid), while avoiding undercover cops patroling the area.

In the Joker phase, you may swap any two cards in a row, column, or diagonal.

In the Thief phase, you may clear 4 cards in a row, column, or long diagonal that either: 1) share the same value, or 2) share the same suit, or 3) are sequential in value regardless of suit (K wraps around to A).

The same target line cannot be used for swapping or clearing two turns in a row.

After moving through the deck (10 turns), you gain a bonus swap. But at the same time, an undercover cop is added to the deck (one card is flipped over). 

Undercover cops can be swapped, but only can be cleared by being in a line with 3 cards of the same value. Undercover cops cleared this way will enter the draw deck again the next round (along with an additional cop).

Play continues until you can no longer clear a target line. You score 1 point per turn.

This version allows you to play the game in your browser, with hints for legal swaps and potential target lines.

For the full rules, and to follow the further development of this game, visit the Work-in-Progress thread over on BoardGameGeek:

https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/3761871