War (card Game) - Versions

Versions

Being a widely-known game, war has picked up many optional variations, some of which are listed below.

• Three-player War - With three or more players, a war occurs only when the two highest cards tie.
• Automatic War - A certain card, typically a 2 or a Joker causes an automatic war.
• Threes Beat Faces - In this variation, a 3 wins against any face card, but still loses against other cards higher than it.
• Fours Beat Aces - Usually played alongside the above variation, here a 4 beats an ace, but loses against other cards higher than it.
• Slap War - A certain card, usually 5 if playing with the above rules, has no numerical significance, and when a 5 is played, the first player to slap it collects the cards. If two players play a 5 or a war is caused in some other way, the person to slap the 5 wins regardless.
• Underdog - When a player has lost a war, he may check his three face down cards for a predetermined underdog card, usually 6 if playing with the above rules, and if one of the cards is a 6, he wins the war.
• Casino War - A simple variation played for money in casinos.
• Peace - A simple variation played the opposite of War. Lowest Card wins. Instead of 3 cards being laid down in a peace (a war) 5 are, 1 for each letter in peace.
• Quatro - A drinking game variant in which four players are dealt three face down cards. The players turn over one of their cards in unison. The player with the lowest card is eliminated and must drink. The players continue with their remaining cards until all but one are eliminated. In the case of a tie, the players participating in the war are immediately dealt three additional face down cards and must turn over one card in unison. The player with the lower card must then finish his or her entire drink. In the case of multiple simultaneous wars, the battle between the highest cards takes precedent and the other battle is void.
• Strategy War - Players choose which card to play from their hand. Hand size varies from 5 to the entire unplayed deck depending on the exact variant chosen.
• Instant War - Any card that loses a battle is dead, or eliminated from the game. The card that wins returns to the original owner. When cards tie, only one card is played by each player in the war. A draw is possible, and game play is much quicker.
• Five Straight Battles - If a player wins five straight battles, his opponent gives him his next faced down card.
• Simple Math (only optional when 3 players are playing) - If the card of the winner of the battle is greater than both losing cards together (i.e., the winner had a King, and the losers have a 5 and a 4), each loser hands the winner their next faced down card.
• Two Card War - Players place two cards each battle instead of one. If one of them is a king a queen or a jack then the player with the highest card wins. Otherwise the player with the higher value of cards (added value of both cards) wins. This game is meant to teach adding to children.