War Card Game: Rules, Variations and How Long It Lasts
War is the card game almost everyone learns first. Two players split a deck, turn over one card each, and the higher card takes both. There are no decisions at all, which makes it perfect for young children and famous for one thing: it can go on for a very long time. Here are the rules, the common variations, and what a million simulated games tell us about how long it really lasts.
What You Need
- One standard 52-card deck, without jokers.
- Two players. (Three or four can play with a few changes, see below.)
How to Play
- Deal. Shuffle and deal the whole deck face down, so each player has 26 cards. Nobody looks at their cards.
- Battle. Both players turn over their top card at the same time. The higher card wins, and its player puts both cards at the bottom of their pile. Aces are high and 2s are low; suits do not matter.
- War. If the two cards are the same rank, it is war. Each player puts three cards face down and then one face up. The higher face-up card wins all the cards on the table. If those tie as well, do it again.
- Winning. The player who ends up with all 52 cards wins. Most families also agree on a time limit, see below.
Common Variations
- One card down: in a war, put one card face down instead of three, for shorter wars.
- Running out in a war: if you do not have enough cards for a war, most people let you play your last card face up; if you have none, you lose.
- Time limit: stop after a set time or once one player runs out of a first pass through their pile, and whoever has more cards wins.
- Three or more players: deal the cards out evenly; the highest card takes all, and only the tied players fight a war.
- Peace: some play a version where the lowest card wins instead.
How Long Does a Game of War Last?
Because nobody makes a choice, we can simply let a computer play. We simulated one million games with three cards down in each war, and with the winner’s cards going back into their pile in random order:
| One game of War (1 million simulated) | Battles (turned-over pairs) |
|---|---|
| Short game (10% are this short) | 70 or fewer |
| Typical (median) | about 200 |
| Average | about 270 |
| Long game (10% are this long) | 560 or more |
| Longer than 1,000 battles | about 1 game in 75 |
At about three seconds per battle, an average game takes about 13 minutes, and one in ten games goes on for close to half an hour or more. That is why so many families play to a time limit. (The exact numbers depend on the rules, especially on how players put won cards back, but the long tail is always there.)
How Often Is There a War?
After you turn over a card, 3 of the 51 other cards have the same rank, so roughly 1 battle in 17 is a war. In our simulation that came to about 17 wars per game, and about one double war (a war that ties again) per game.
Is There Any Skill?
None. The game is decided the moment the deck is shuffled, which is exactly why it is good for young children: nobody can be better at it than anyone else, so a five-year-old has the same chance as a grandparent. Choosing who deals with a coin flip keeps even that part fair; see more ways to decide who goes first.
It does quietly teach something. Children learn to compare numbers and the order of jack, queen, king and ace, and older children can work out why wars are rare. For a card game with a real choice in it, try Higher or Lower.
Where the Game Comes From
War is a traditional children’s game, played in many countries under different names; in France it is called Bataille (battle). Its exact origin is not known. For more simple games for a party or a rainy day, see our list of kids party games.
FAQ
How do you play War?
Deal a full deck between two players. Both turn over their top card; the higher card takes both. If the cards tie, each player puts three cards face down and one face up, and the higher face-up card takes everything. Whoever collects all the cards wins.
How long does a game of War last?
In our simulation of a million games, the average was about 270 battles and the median about 200. About 1 game in 75 lasts more than 1,000 battles, so many families play to a time limit.
What happens if you run out of cards during a war?
Most people let you use your last card as the face-up card. If you have no cards left, you lose the game.
Is War a game of skill?
No. The result is decided by the shuffle, and no player makes any choices. That is what makes it fair for young children.
How often does a war happen?
About once every 17 battles, because 3 of the other 51 cards match the rank of the card you turned over.