How to play War
War is the card game everyone learns first: no choices, no strategy, all suspense. The deck splits in half, both sides flip, and the higher card takes the battle - until two equal cards collide and it's WAR: three cards buried face down, one flipped to decide the whole pile.
Just want the rules? Read the complete War rulebook.
- Flip - click your deck (aces are high).
- War - ties escalate: 3 down, 1 up, winner takes everything on the table. Too few cards to finish a war means instant defeat.
- Victory - capture all 52 cards. Spoils stack up on your won pile in capture order and turn over into a fresh deck when your main one runs out.
- Auto-play - flip through the quiet stretches automatically and take back control any time.
Frequently asked questions
What are the rules of War?
The deck is split in half. Each round both players flip their top card, and the higher card (aces high) captures both. Equal cards mean WAR: each player buries three cards face down and flips a fourth - the winner takes the whole pile. Capture all 52 cards to win.
What happens in a double war?
If the war cards tie again, the war continues: three more cards down, another flip, with the entire growing pile going to the eventual winner. Multi-wars are rare and glorious.
What if a player runs out of cards during a war?
A war needs four cards: three face down and one face up. A player who cannot complete the war - fewer than four cards left between their deck and won pile - loses immediately.
Where do captured cards go?
Captured cards go onto a separate won pile in the exact order they were captured - never shuffled. When your main deck runs out, the won pile is turned over and becomes your new deck, just like playing with a real deck of cards.
Is there any strategy in War?
Honestly, no - War is pure chance, which is exactly why it is the first card game most people ever learn. This version includes an auto-play mode when you just want to watch the battle unfold, and marathon stalemates end with the bigger army declared the winner.
How long does a game of War take?
Anywhere from two minutes to a few hundred rounds. The round and war counters keep score of the carnage, and auto-play fast-forwards the quiet stretches.
More free card games
Ready for games with decisions in them? Try Go Fish, Crazy Eights, or the classic Klondike Solitaire.