War is the classic game of strategy and luck which is perfect for all ages and only requires a standard deck of playing cards. The game’s simplicity makes it ideal for even younger children to pass the time on holidays and prolonged waiting periods, and as a beginner’s game to the world of fun card games.
In the card game War, the object is to win all of the cards. The player who does this is said to have “won the war.” It is a simple object that all ages can comprehend, making this a great game for all ages and cultures.
Card games have always been a great way to pass the time and bond with each other in different situations. A deck of cards can be brought with you anywhere in the world and is therefore very practical as well.
When playing War, the cards are dealt face down clockwise, starting with the player to the dealer’s left. Each player gets 26 cards. Aces are high. The remaining cards are placed face down in the middle of the players and form the stock. The players do not look at the dealt cards, as they need to be held in a stack face-down.
Include the family’s youngest members by letting them shuffle the deck of cards. Depending on their skill level and age, you can teach them the riffle shuffle, the overhand shuffle, the strip shuffle, and the peddler’s shuffle. Each method has its own unique way of randomizing and mixing up the cards.
To begin, each player flips over their top card simultaneously and places them face-up in front of them. Then, the player with the highest card value takes all of the face-up cards and sets them aside. Suits do not play a role in the game of war – it is all about the value of the individual card.
The main goal when flipping the top card is to create a case of a tie, so the players get the opportunity to win the trick. Win the most tricks = win all the cards in the stack and essentially win the game of war. But, of course, you always risk losing the trick and thereby being set back in the game.
In case of a tie, each player places two more cards face up on top of their first card. These are called “battle” cards. The player with the highest battle card value then takes all of the face-up cards and sets them aside. If there is another tie, this process is repeated until there is a winner. The winner of each turn collects all of the face-up cards and sets them aside.
The game is over when one player has collected all 52 cards. As war is primarily a game based on luck instead of strategy, the game of war can go back and forth in terms of who is leading, making the game even more exciting, especially for younger children.
In war, you do not keep score in the traditional way. Once one player has won all cards by tricks, the game ends, and that player is the winner. Therefore, the game of war needs to continue until one player has managed to accumulate all 52 cards.
If you are more than two or three players, you may include a new deck to make sure you have a sufficient number of cards. That way, the whole family can join in playing cards when you are on holiday or, for instance, need a break in the line waiting to start boarding time.
You can always put your own twist to war by introducing high scores. For instance, you can keep score every time someone loses the game and decide that if a player loses five times, they have lost the game of war.
You can also decide that when losing war, the person gets a W. The first person to spell WAR loses the entire game. There are many possibilities to introduce some drama to the scoring game.
War is a beloved game for families because it can include even the youngest children and oldest family members. If you’re looking for other games with the same qualities as the game of war, you may consider:
While these games may have similar rules to War, they each have their own unique twist that makes them enjoyable to play. They are all simple card games that are perfect even when traveling light because they take up to no space in your luggage.
Simple games work both for families with members of all ages as well as groups of friends and even when needing a break from work. Everyone can join in, and nobody can blame anyone else for losing because it is mostly up to pure luck, whether or not you win or lose.
War is an excellent game for kids because it helps them to develop critical thinking skills. They need to consider what card values will win or lose against other values. Plus, it’s a fast-paced game that keeps everyone on their toes!
There’s something exciting about the game of war. It could be the fact that it’s a card game, and there’s always an element of chance involved. Or maybe it’s the simple fact that it’s a game of strategy, and one can never be quite sure what the outcome will be.
It also works as a great pastime when traveling or when children visit grandparents. Children will love to be able to play a game with their older family members and feel included in the family despite age differences.
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