War (card game)
A simple, random card game often played by children.
War (called Battle in the UK) is a straightforward card game, usually for two players with a standard deck, and is common among children. Numerous variations exist, along with related games like the German 32-card Tod und Leben ("Death and Life"). The goal is to collect every card. **Rules** The deck is split equally between the players, each holding a facedown stack. Both players flip their top card at the same time—this is a "battle"—and the higher card wins, with the winner taking both cards and adding them to their stack. Aces rank highest, and suits do not matter. If the two cards match in value, a "war" begins: each player puts their next card facedown, then another card face-up. The player with the higher face-up card wins the war and takes all the cards on the table, placing them at the bottom of their deck. If those face-up cards also match, the war repeats with another set of facedown and face-up cards, continuing until one player’s face-up card beats the other’s. Most rule descriptions are vague about what happens if a player runs out of cards during a war. In some versions, that player loses immediately. In others, they may use their last card as the face-up card for the rest of the war, or the game restarts from the beginning. Another variant has the player with more cards supply the cards for the war. War can also involve more than two players. In a three-player game, each gets 17 cards; in a four-player game, each gets 13. Everyone reveals a card at the same time, just like the two-player version. If the highest cards are tied, those players go to war. All players—including those not tied—then play one facedown card and one face-up card. The player with the highest face-up card at the war’s end takes all played cards. When a player runs out of cards, they are eliminated, and the game continues until one player holds every card. Game designer Greg Costikyan has noted that because War involves no player choices and all outcomes are random, some definitions might not consider it a game. However, the rules often do not specify the order in which cards are returned to the deck. If they are returned in a non-random order, deciding which card to put before another after a win can affect the game’s outcome. These decisions have a more noticeable effect with smaller decks, where card counting is easier, but they can still influence gameplay with standard decks. **Variations** As a widely known game, War has many recorded variants, including:
- **Casino War**: A simple version played for money in casinos. - **Three cards**: Many play with three facedown cards during a war. - **Prisoners of War**: Usually for more than two players. After winning a battle, a player may take one of the cards (not their own) as a "prisoner," placing it face-up in front of them. In a later battle, that player may choose to play the prisoner card instead of drawing from their deck (they cannot peek at the card they would have drawn first). If they win the battle, it proceeds normally; if they lose, they give the winner both the prisoner card and the card they would have drawn. Wars work the same way, and a war winner may also "capture" one of the facedown cards. - **Bettelmann ("Beggar Man") and Tod und Leben ("Life and Death")**: German variants mentioned as early as 1833. They use a 32-card Skat pack for two players, with cards ranking in natural order and suits irrelevant—except in Tod und Leben, where one player uses red suits and the other black. Each player gets 16 facedown cards. They flip their top cards simultaneously, and the higher card wins. If equal, they flip the next card, and the winner takes all four cards. The player with the most cards at the end wins. - **Automatic War**: Playing a two of any suit immediately declares a war. - **Peace**: The opposite of War—the lowest card always wins. - **Underdog**: The losing player of a war steals the victory if one of their three discard cards is a Jack. **See also** Beggar-your-neighbor, Egyptian Ratscrew, Slapjack, Snip Snap Snorem
**References** Gööck, Roland (1967). *Freude am Kartenspiel*, Bertelsmann, Gütersloh.
- Type
- Card game
- Players
- 2 or more
- Deck
- Standard 52-card deck (or 32-card Skat pack in variants)
- Objective
- Win all cards
- Known for
- Simple, random gameplay with no player choices
- Variants
- Casino War, Prisoners of War, Bettelmann, Tod und Leben, Automatic War, Peace, Underdog
Lore & Background
War is a simple card game of pure chance, typically played by two participants with a standard 52-card deck, though it can accommodate more players. The deck is split equally among the players, each receiving a face-down stack. Players simultaneously reveal the top card of their pile in a "battle"; the player whose card is higher—aces rank highest, and suits are irrelevant—collects both cards and adds them to the bottom of their own stack. When the revealed cards match in rank, a "war" ensues: each player places one card face down, then another face up. The player with the higher face-up card wins the war and takes all cards on the table. If these face-up cards are again equal, the war repeats with additional face-down and face-up cards until one player’s face-up card outranks the other’s. The game continues until one player holds all the cards. The rules often do not specify the order in which won cards are returned to the deck; if a player chooses a non-random order after a victory, this decision can influence the outcome, especially with smaller decks where card counting is easier. War is known by the name "Battle" in the United Kingdom and has many recorded variants, including the German 32-card games *Tod und Leben* ("Death and Life") and *Bettelmann* ("Beggar Man"), which date to at least 1833. In *Tod und Leben*, one player uses only red suits and the other only black suits. Other variations include Casino War, played for money; a version where three face-down cards are used during a war; and "Automatic War," where playing a two of any suit triggers a war. Some variants also reverse the objective, making the lowest card win, or introduce special rules for players who run out of cards during a war.
Reader's Guide
War is widely known and has many variations. Most descriptions are unclear about what happens if a player runs out of cards during a war; some variants declare that player the loser, others allow the player to play their last card as the face-up card, or replay the game from the beginning. There is also a variant where the player with more cards must provide cards for the war. Game designer Greg Costikyan observed that since there are no choices in the game and all outcomes are random, it cannot be considered a game by some definitions. However, the rules often do not specify the order in which cards should be returned to the deck; if returned in a non-random order, the decision of putting one card before another after a victory can change the overall outcome. The effects of such decisions are more visible with smaller decks, as it is easier for a player to card count, but decisions can still affect gameplay with standard decks.
Did You Know?
- War is also known as Battle in the United Kingdom.
- In the German variant Tod und Leben, one player plays with red suits and the other with black suits.
- Game designer Greg Costikyan argued that War cannot be considered a game by some definitions because it involves no player choices.
- In the Prisoners of War variant, a winning player may take one of the opponent's cards as a 'prisoner' and later play it instead of drawing from their deck.
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