Forty Thieves Solitaire
Two decks, ten columns, one card at a time. A real challenge.
How to play Forty Thieves
Forty Thieves is a classic two-deck solitaire, also known as Napoleon at St Helena. It is played with 104 cards. Forty of them, the "thieves", are dealt face up into ten columns of four. The other 64 cards form the stock. At the top are eight empty foundations, two for each suit.
Goal
Move all 104 cards to the foundations. Each foundation is built up in one suit, from Ace to King.
Turn by turn
- Only the top card of a column can move.
- Put it on a card that is one rank higher and of the same suit. The 8 of clubs can go on the 9 of clubs only.
- Any card can go into an empty column.
- Tap the stock to turn its top card onto the waste pile. The top waste card can be played to a column or a foundation. The stock goes round only once, so there is no redeal.
- Move Aces to the foundations as soon as they appear, then the 2, the 3 and so on of the same suit. Aces and 2s go up by themselves.
Moving several cards
Officially you move one card at a time. To save clicks, this site lets you move an ordered run of one suit in one go, as long as you could do it card by card using the empty columns. With no empty column that is one card, with one empty column two cards, with two empty columns four, and so on.
Playing on this site
Drag cards, or tap a card and then tap where it should go. Double-tap a card to send it home or to the best column. Hint shows a move, Undo has no limit and the game is saved if you close the page. On a keyboard use the arrows, Enter, D to draw and H for a hint.
End of the game
You win when all eight foundations reach the King. Forty Thieves is famous for being hard: many deals cannot be won at all, so do not give up after a loss.
Strategy tips
- Empty a column early. An empty column is the most precious thing in this game. It lets you move runs and park a card that blocks a key card.
- Build only in suit. Every build must follow suit, so plan which 9 of hearts your 8 of hearts should go on. You have two of each card.
- Use the waste carefully. The stock goes round only once. Before you draw, make every useful move on the table, because a waste card soon gets buried.
- Don't fill spaces in a hurry. Putting a random card into an empty column wastes it. Wait for a card that unlocks something, like a long run or a low card.
- Look at both copies. When you need a card, there are two of them. Free the one that is easier to reach.
Forty Thieves FAQ
Why is it called Forty Thieves?
Forty cards are dealt to the table at the start, like the forty thieves of the old tale. The game has also been called Napoleon at St Helena, because the exiled emperor was said to play it.
Can I move more than one card at once?
Yes, an ordered run of one suit can move together if you could do it card by card with the empty columns: one card with none free, two with one, four with two.
Can I go through the stock again?
No. In Forty Thieves the stock is dealt only once. That is a big part of why the game is so hard.
How often can Forty Thieves be won?
Even strong players win only a small share of deals. Undo lets you try different plans, so keep going and enjoy each win.
