Forty Thieves Solitaire: Rules, Strategy, and History

Forty Thieves is one of the most punishing games in classic solitaire. Two decks, 10 tableau columns, same-suit building only, and a single pass through the stock with no redeals. Expert players win roughly 8% of deals. The game goes by several names, the most evocative being Napoleon at St. Helena, a nod to the French emperor's years of island exile.

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The Napoleon connection

Napoleon Bonaparte was exiled to the island of Saint Helena in 1815 after his defeat at Waterloo. He remained there until his death in 1821, largely cut off from European politics and society. Accounts from his companions describe him playing patience card games to fill the long idle hours of exile.

Whether Napoleon played the specific game now called Forty Thieves or Napoleon at Saint Helena is historically unclear. The association may be apocryphal, attaching to his name because the game's difficulty and isolation suited the popular image of a brilliant general reduced to solitary card play. The name "Napoleon at St. Helena" appears in English card game books from the 19th century, though exactly when is difficult to pin down precisely.

The "Forty Thieves" name likely refers to the 40 cards dealt face-up at the start of the game (four cards in each of the 10 columns). The Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves story was popular in European culture throughout the 19th century following Antoine Galland's translations of One Thousand and One Nights, and the name probably attached informally.

Setup

Forty Thieves uses two standard 52-card decks shuffled together, 104 cards total. The deal is:

• 10 tableau columns, each dealt 4 cards face-up (40 cards total on the tableau).
• The remaining 64 cards form the stock pile, face-down.
• 8 foundation piles above the tableau, to be built Ace through King by suit (two complete sets since there are two decks).

Only the top card of each tableau column is available for play at any time.

Rules

Tableau builds: Cards on the tableau are built in descending rank, same suit only. A 7 of Hearts can only go on an 8 of Hearts. This is the rule that makes Forty Thieves so restrictive. Alternating-color builds (as in Klondike Solitaire) allow far more flexibility.

Moving groups: Only one card at a time may be moved in standard Forty Thieves. You cannot move a sequence of cards as a group, even if they form a valid same-suit sequence.

Stock and waste: You may flip cards from the stock to the waste pile one at a time. Only the top card of the waste is available for play. Once the stock is exhausted, there is no redeal. Whatever is in the waste stays there.

Empty columns: Any card may be placed in an empty column, unlike Klondike where only Kings fill empty spaces.

Foundations: Build up from Ace in suit. Since two decks are used, each suit has two Aces and must build two complete Ace-through-King sequences.

Why the win rate is around 8%

Three rules combine to make Forty Thieves brutally difficult:

Same-suit builds: With two decks in play, there are two copies of every card. Both copies of the 8 of Hearts can end up on top of each other with no same-suit 7 available to continue the column. That column is then locked until a 7 of Hearts is freed from somewhere else.

No group moves: Moving one card at a time means rearranging a blocked column requires many individual moves. Empty columns are scarce and fill quickly.

No redeals: The waste pile cards are gone once they pass. Every card flipped from the stock is a one-time opportunity. Flipping at the wrong moment, when you cannot play what you turn over, permanently buries the card.

Five strategy tips

1. 1

   Protect empty columns aggressively

   An empty column is your most valuable resource. It can temporarily hold a card that is blocking something more important. Never fill an empty column with a card you cannot immediately use as a stepping stone. Prefer keeping columns empty over making speculative moves.
2. 2

   Never flip stock blindly

   Before flipping from the stock, scan the tableau for any move you can make. Flipping stock cards you cannot play buries them in the waste. With no redeal, each wasted flip reduces your options permanently.
3. 3

   Avoid stacking same-suit duplicates

   Because two decks are in play, pairs of identical cards are common. If both 9s of Spades end up in the same column, that column becomes a priority to clear before you need the 9 of Spades for the foundation. Watch for duplicate pairings forming and act early.
4. 4

   Prioritize freeing Aces and 2s

   Foundations cannot start until an Ace is free. With 8 foundations to build, you need both copies of every Ace in play. Trace where Aces are buried early and plan the moves needed to free them before the rest of the tableau gets locked.
5. 5

   Accept that most deals are unwinnable and play precisely when they are

   Forty Thieves is genuinely hard. Even with perfect play, roughly 92% of deals will not be won. The practical goal is to squeeze every possible win out of the rare favorable deals by playing precisely and not wasting moves. Recognizing an unwinnable deal early saves time for the next one.

Frequently asked questions

Why is it called Napoleon at St. Helena?

The name refers to Napoleon Bonaparte's exile on the island of Saint Helena from 1815 to 1821, where he reportedly passed time playing patience games. Whether he played this specific variant is historically uncertain, but the association stuck in 19th-century card game culture.

How many decks does Forty Thieves use?

Two standard 52-card decks shuffled together, for 104 cards total. This means there are two of every card and 8 foundation piles to fill.

Can I move groups of cards in Forty Thieves?

In standard Forty Thieves, only one card at a time may be moved. You cannot move a sequence as a group even if it forms a valid same-suit run.

Is there a redeal in Forty Thieves?

No. You get one pass through the stock. Once the stock is exhausted, the waste pile cards are unavailable and the game ends when no more moves are possible.

What can go in an empty tableau column?

Any single card may be placed in an empty column, not just Kings. This is one of the few rules that works in the player's favor in an otherwise restrictive game.