# How to Play War: The Two-Player Card Game Explained

Learn War in two minutes: split the deck, flip at the same time, the higher card takes both, and a tie means war. The player who wins every card wins.

Source: https://pips.club/war

- Players: 2
- Deck: 52 cards, no jokers
- Type: Comparing
- Level: Easy
- Game: Until one player has every card

## At a glance

### Flip, compare, take

Two players flip a card at the same time. The higher card wins both. Equal cards start a war. You win by collecting the whole deck.
There are no decisions to make, which makes it a great first game for young kids.

## Setup

### Two players, one deck

Use a standard 52-card deck without jokers. Cards rank from 2 (lowest) up to ace (highest). Suits don’t matter.

## The deal

### Split the deck

Deal the whole deck one card at a time, face down, so each player gets 26. Keep your cards in a face-down stack. Nobody looks at them.

## A turn

### Flip at the same time

Both players turn over the top card of their stack together. The higher card takes both cards, which go face down on the bottom of the winner’s stack.
Your king beats the 9 of clubs: both cards are yours.

### And again

Keep flipping. This time your 4 of hearts loses to the jack of clubs, so your opponent takes both.

## Special cards

### Same rank? War!

Both players turn up an 8. That means war: each player puts one card face down and one card face up.

### The winner takes all

The higher of the two new face-up cards takes all six cards. Your ace beats the 10: all six are yours.
If the new cards tie again, repeat the war until someone wins.

## Scoring

### Your stack is your score

War has no points. The number of cards in your stack shows who is ahead: right now you have 29 and your opponent 23.
Short on time? Agree on a finish time and whoever holds the most cards then wins.

## Winning

### Win every card

The game ends when one player has all 52 cards. That player wins.

## Variants and house rules

- **Three or four players**: Deal 17 cards each for three players (one card left over) or 13 for four. The highest card takes all. If two or more tie for highest, everyone plays the war, not just them. Anyone who runs out drops out.
- **Out of cards in a war**: Tables differ: either the player who can’t finish a war loses, or their last card is turned face up and used for the whole war.
- **Steal War**: Won cards go on a face-up pile. If your card matches the top of an opponent’s pile, you steal that pile.

## Tips

- There are no choices in War, so the fun is in the flip: turn your card with some drama.
- Short on time? Agree on a finish time and whoever holds the most cards then wins.
- Great for counting practice: let young players say out loud which card is higher.

## Quick answers

**How many cards does each player get in War?** 26 each: the whole deck is dealt out between the two players.

**What happens when there is a tie in War?** That is a war: each player adds one card face down and one face up, and the higher face-up card takes all the cards. If they tie again, repeat.

**Is the ace high or low in War?** High. Cards rank from 2, the lowest, up to the ace.