How to Play the Popular Card Game War

Over the years, my family has loved to play competitive card games for a variety of reasons. We have played Rummy, Phase 10, Uno, and many others. But the game that we always seem to come back to is War. This card game is so simple to learn, but it can be so competitive and intense at the same time.

So, what is the proper way to play the card game of war? The first thing you need to know if you want to play war is the basic rules. War is a two-player game in which each player is dealt 10 cards, face down. The remaining cards are placed face down in the middle of the players to form a stockpile. The object of the game is to take all of your opponent’s cards.

Although this game is family-friendly and sure to get everyone involved, it can also be taken to a more competitive level. If you want to make the game more challenging and interesting, keep reading to find out how to add different variations!

What Is the Object of the Game?

The game is designed to be played solely to eliminate your opponent’s cards. You can try to do this as quickly as possible or make it a war of attrition; either way, the goal is simply to take all 10 of your opponent’s cards and be left with none.

How Many Cards Should Be in the Deck?

As mentioned above, there are usually only 10 cards per player in a game of war. This is because, with so few cards, it is easy to keep track of what’s going on and who is winning.

If you want to make the game last longer or make it more challenging, you can increase the number of cards in the deck. Just be sure that both players are aware of the change before starting to play.

What Are the Basic Rules?

The basic rules of war are very simple: each player is dealt 10 cards, face down. The remaining cards are placed face down in the middle of the players to form a stockpile. The object of the game is to take all of your opponent’s cards.

To begin, each player flips over one card from their hand and places it in the middle of the players. The player with the higher card takes both cards and puts them into their war pile. If both cards are the same rank, then the war has been declared and each player flips over another card.

This process continues until one player either runs out of cards or one player has a card that is higher than their opponent’s. That player then takes all of the cards in the war pile and adds them to their war pile.

The game is over when one player has taken all 10 of his/her opponent’s cards. That player is the winner!

Does a 2 Beat an Ace In War?

In war, aces are always high and a 2 will beat an ace. This is because war is a fixed-sum game – meaning that adding one to either player’s hand can not change the total number of cards between them. War is the only card game where this rule applies.

In war, it doesn’t matter where the 1’s, 2’s, and 3’s go. The ace is always high (above the King) and the numbers to its right are ordered in their usual fashion. For example, war is played with each player starting with 10 cards.

If Player 1 flips over an 8 of diamonds, he/she puts it into the war pile along with his/her other 8. If Player 2 flips over 2 clubs, war is declared and both players flip over another card.

Player 1 would now have an Ace of Hearts and a 9 of Spades in their war pile, while Player 2 would have a 3 of Clubs and a 4 of Diamonds. As you can see, the war pile is mixed up. There are other card games where the war pile should be kept in numeric order to prevent cheating, but war is not one of them.

What Are Some War Variations?

There are several different war variations that you can try once you’ve mastered the standard rules. You may want to make things more challenging for yourself by only allowing the war to be declared once both players have five cards on the table. This can also be done with four cards on the war pile, so that war can only be declared if both players have four cards in their war pile.

Another variation is to make war mandatory after a certain number of rounds pass. For example, the war might only be allowed after round 12 has been passed and no war was called during those previous 11 rounds. You could also make it mandatory every 4th round or every 2nd round – whatever works best for you!

Why Is War Such a Popular Game?

One reason why war is such a popular game among families and friends is that it requires minimal equipment and there are many variations that you can try.

It’s also a relatively short game, so it doesn’t take up a lot of time. Finally, war is a very social game and can be enjoyed by players of all ages.

More Competitive Card Games to Try With the Family

There are so many card games to choose from, but some are more competitive than others. Here are a few that can be played with the family and will have everyone involved and engaged.

Slapjack

This card game is best for two to six players. It is a simple game that can be learned quickly. The goal is to collect all of the cards in the deck and then slap one card down on the table. The player with the card at the end of the game loses.

Crazy Eights

This card game is for two to four players. The goal is to get rid of all of your cards first by playing cards that match the card previously played, either by number or suit. When a player doesn’t have any more matches, they must draw a card from the deck and play again.

UNO

A classic card game that is fun for the whole family. The goal of this card game is to get rid of all your cards first. Players can play cards that match either by color or number and then a card from the draw pile will be drawn to allow players a chance to play again. This card game is also great for two to six players.

Play or Pay

This card game is for two to four players. The goal is to collect as many sets of cards as possible, either by matching the rank or color of the card. When a player has no more cards in their hand, they must take another card from the deck and add it to their hand. The player with the most sets at the end of the card game wins.

Palace

This card game is for two players. The goal is to move all of your cards to the opposite side of the table. When playing, you can either play a card that is equal to the card previously played or one that is higher in rank. If you cannot play, then you must draw a card from the deck and place it into your hand.

Spite and Malice

This card game is for two to six players. It requires three decks of cards, so it can accommodate more players than other card games. The goal is to be the player with the fewest cards in your hand at the end of the game. To play, players must play one card onto another card that is already on the table.

When you can no longer play, you must draw a card from the deck and place it into your hand. If you cannot play, then you must either put all of your cards into your hand or pick up the entire card stack and place it in front of you to start again.

Hearts

This card game is for three to five players. The goal of this card game is to have as few points as possible by the end of the card game. Points are given when a player has a card that matches one in another player’s set or if a player ends up with two cards from the same suit, which is called “shooting the moon”. When a card is played, players must play the card that follows if they can do so.

Slapjack, Crazy Eights, UNO, and Spite & Malice are all card games that can be played with the family. Each card game has a different number of players and different rules to follow.

For example, in Slapjack there is only one winner at the end of the card game while in Crazy Eights, the player who gets rid of all their cards first, wins. These card games are all competitive and can be exciting to play. Give them a try next time you’re looking for something to do with the family!