Sources and verification

Sources consulted

• Napoleon at St Helena (also called Forty Thieves) (new tab) (Wikipedia (in English)): the game: two decks of cards, ten columns of four face-up cards, only the top card can be moved, any card in an empty space, columns built down by suit, foundations built from ace to king by suit, drawing one card at a time
• Glossary of solitaire terms (new tab) (Wikipedia (in English)): solitaire terminology: tableau, foundations, stock, waste, building down
• Patience (game) (new tab) (Wikipedia): patience, or solitaire, is a card game for one player

Links accessed on October 30, 2026. The rules described on this site are primarily those of the Quarante Voleurs app, as read in its code.

How the examples are verified

Before each publication, a program checks the 3 example deals and every number on the site:

• the deal is recalculated from its game code, using the same shuffle as the app, and compared with the deal produced by the app's code;
• 104 cards, two of each, 10 columns of 4 face-up cards, 64 cards in the stock;
• every move in the games is replayed and must be allowed by the app’s rules; every won game must end with all 8 foundations complete;
• the score and the numbers of moves and draws are recalculated and compared with those in the app;
• the rules cited (one card at a time, suit, empty columns, foundations, no cycling through the stock, scoring) are checked against the app’s code.

Strategy tips are presented as advice, separately from the rules. Rules for play with physical cards are attributed to their sources and do not describe the app. Found an error? Write to us through the contact page.