Game guide · JZJSBYY
Know the goal in War
Check the rule below as you play. Win both face-up cards with the higher rank and try to collect the whole deck. The deck is split into two face-down piles of 26 cards. Keep the goal in mind before your next move.
A free two-player comparison game. One face-down card per war; 500-battle draw limit prevents an indefinitely long round. No money or prizes.
Bring this focus to a round
Check the rule below as you play. On equal ranks, each side places one card face down and another face up. Repeat if those face-up ranks also tie. Keep the goal in mind before your next move.
What counts as success
Keep the goal in view while choosing a move. Win both face-up cards with the higher rank and try to collect the whole deck. The game area remains available above the explanation.
How a round unfolds
- The deck is split into two face-down piles of 26 cards.
- Turn both top cards. Higher rank wins both cards; Aces are high and suits do not matter.
- On equal ranks, each side places one card face down and another face up. Repeat if those face-up ranks also tie.
- The winner of a battle takes its full pile to the bottom of their deck.
- A player unable to finish a war loses; equal shortages are a draw. A round also ends in a draw after 500 battles.
- Use New round for another shuffled deal.
Input guidance
Press Turn cards for one battle, or Play 10 battles to advance ten battles without choosing cards. The game area remains available above the explanation.
Put the rules into context
Use the controls beside the game rather than guessing the rules. If both players reveal a nine, each hides one card and reveals a second. A king then beats a seven and takes the full pile. Keep the goal in mind before your next move.
Where a round can go wrong
Keep the goal in view while choosing a move. You cannot choose a card from the pile. War depends on the dealt order, not a discard strategy. The game area remains available above the explanation.
A few questions answered
During a round, what is the aim of War?
Win both face-up cards with the higher rank and try to collect the whole deck. The game is played locally in your browser.
For this game, how do the controls work?
Press Turn cards for one battle, or Play 10 battles to advance ten battles without choosing cards. The worked example offers another way to follow the rule.
Can you show an example?
If both players reveal a nine, each hides one card and reveals a second. A king then beats a seven and takes the full pile. The game is played locally in your browser.
For this game, which mistake should I avoid?
You cannot choose a card from the pile. War depends on the dealt order, not a discard strategy. Keep the current game state in view while applying this rule.
When I start, what rules and limits are used here?
A free two-player comparison game. One face-down card per war; 500-battle draw limit prevents an indefinitely long round. No money or prizes. The controls work with mouse or touch.
On this page, how many people can play here?
You vs computer. This is local browser play, not internet matchmaking. The controls work with mouse or touch.
During a round, is Ace high?
Yes. The order runs from two through king to Ace; suits are ignored. No download or player account is required.
During a round, how many face-down cards are used for a tie?
One, followed by one face-up card. This is the chosen war procedure for this table. Use the labelled controls for your next action.
On this page, why was the round drawn?
Both players ran short at the same point in a war, or the 500-battle limit was reached. The game is played locally in your browser.
On this page, can I choose which card to play?
No. Each battle turns the next top card from each face-down pile. The worked example offers another way to follow the rule.