Play Napoleon's Square Solitaire Online for Free (No Signup Required)
Move whole same-suit sequences across twelve piles in this easygoing two-deck cousin of Forty Thieves, and land one of the friendliest win rates on the site: 80%.
Napoleon's Square Solitaire is a classic two-deck patience that has been printed in card-game collections since the nineteenth century. The name comes from the traditional table arrangement, in which the twelve tableau piles were laid out around three sides of a square with the foundations in the middle — and from the old legend that Napoleon whiled away his exile on Saint Helena with games of patience. Whether the emperor ever dealt this one, nobody can say.
On the table it plays like a close sibling of Forty Thieves Solitaire: twelve piles of four cards, eight foundations, and a single pass through the stock. Two rules change everything, though — the tableau builds down in suit, and whole same-suit sequences may be moved as a group. That freedom makes it one of the friendliest members of an otherwise stern family.
Being able to shift whole sequences instead of single cards is what makes this game easy, and it shows in the 80% win rate. Across two decks, skill decides your outcome far more than luck does.
If you enjoy Napoleon's Square, try Blockade Solitaire, its closest cousin, or the original Solitaire.
If you run into anything odd or have an idea that would make the game better, please contact me.
Enjoy playing!
How to play Napoleon's Square Solitaire
Layout:
8 foundation piles: Build up in suit from Ace to King.
12 tableau piles: Build down in suit. Each pile is dealt four face-up cards at the start of the game. Same-suit sequences may be moved as a group. Any card or movable sequence can fill a space.
Stock: Click to flip over cards one at a time to the waste. There are no redeals.
Waste: The top card is playable.
Foundation:
There are eight foundation piles.
Every foundation pile starts with an ace. A card can be added to a foundation pile only if it's one rank higher and the same suit as the pile's current top card, so the only card that fits on an 8 of spades is a 9 of spades. A pile is complete when it reaches the king.
The top card of each foundation can be moved back into play if another pile will accept it.
Tableau:
Twelve tableau piles of four cards each, dealt in an overlapping cascade. Every card is dealt face-up.
A card can be added to a tableau pile only if it's one rank lower and the same suit as the pile's current top card, so the only card that fits on an 8 of spades is the 7 of spades.
Cards on the tableau that are not covered by another card are free to be played onto the foundation or any other tableau pile. Cards in descending sequence of the same suit may be picked up and moved together as a group.
Any card or same-suit sequence from the tableau, or the top card of the waste, may fill an empty tableau space.
Stock and waste:
There is one waste pile, and the remaining fifty-six cards make up the stock.
When you click on the stock, one card from the stock is dealt to the waste. There is only one pass through the stock.
The top card of the waste can be played to the tableau or foundation.
