Card Game War

1. How To Play Card Game War
2. Card Game War Rules
3. Card Game War Directions
4. How Do You Play The Card Game War

War is a great card game for young children. The object is to acquire all the cards, which you can do in different ways. To play War, you need the following: Two players A standard deck of 52 cards Start by dealing out the deck one card at a time, face-down, so that each player. Full Playlist: more How to Play Card Games videos: http://www.howcast.com/vid. A full listing of card games that are available today such as Solitaire and Bridge. Find the card game that is best for you and play now for free! Ideal War Card Game pits dogs vs. Cats in this classic card game! Each oversized card (4.5in. X 3in.) has an adorable image of a dog or cat and a value from 2 to Ace. All cards are shuffled together and 2 players go head to head, turning their cards over hoping to have the higher value. The game continues in this manner until both players turn over a card of the same rank, at which point you enter a war. A war can progress in one of three ways. Each player puts a card face-down on top of the tied card and then one face-up. Whoever has the higher face-up card.

Introduction

Casino War is without a doubt the easiest card game to play in the casino. If you have ever played war as a child, or simply made a bet on who could draw the highest card, then war will seem instantly familiar. Following are the specific rules.

1. The game is played with six decks. Cards are ranked as in poker, except aces are always high. The suit does not matter.
2. After the players have made a wager each player and the dealer shall get one card.
3. Each player's card shall be compared with the dealer's card. If the player's card is higher he wins even money. If the dealer's card is higher the player loses.
4. In the event of a tie the player shall have two choices: (1) surrender and forfeit half the bet or (2) go to war (see rule 5)
5. If the player elects to go to war he must raise his bet by an amount equal to his original wager. The dealer will do the same but this is just for show. The dealer will then burn three cards and give the player and dealer another card each. If the player's second card equals or beats the dealer then the player shall win even money on the raise only and the original wager shall push. If the dealer's second card is greater the player shall lose both bets.
6. At some casinos, the Mirage and Casino Niagara to name just two, a tie after a tie will result in a bonus equal to the original wager. At the Casino Niagara they say the raise pays 3 to 1 but the initial bet loses, which is mathematically the same thing.
7. A tie bet is also available, which pays 10 to 1 if the first two cards tie.

I'm often asked where the house edge lays in this game. Where the edge comes from is when there is a war you either win one unit or lose two. For example, if you originally bet $5 you have to double your bet, risking $10, to win only $5.

Analysis

Stingy Rules

The following table shows the possible outcomes in a six-deck game with no bonus for a tie after a tie, assuming the player always goes to war.

The element of risk under these rules is 2.70% and the standard deviation is 1.05.

Liberal Rules

The next table shows the possible outcomes in a six-deck game with a bonus equal to the Ante for a tie after a tie, assuming the player always goes to war.

Six Decks — Liberal Rules

The standard deviation under these rules is 1.057637.

Super Liberal Rules

Internet casinos using Gamesys software feature a rule where the player gets a bonus of 3x the Ante bet if the player gets a tie after a tie. The following table shows this lowers the house edge to 1.24%.

Six Decks — Super Liberal Rules

Some Interent casinos use unusual number of decks. The following table shows the house edge under the bonus rules, normal 'no bonus' rules, surrendering on ties, and the tie bet itself.

Casino War House Edge

Tie Analysis

The following table shows the probability of winning and expected return on the Tie bet, assuming it pays the usual 10 to 1.

Tie Bet Analysis

At Internet casinos using Habanero Systems software, the tie bet pays 11 to 1. With six decks, this lowers the house edge to 11.25%. While still a terrible bet, it's an improvement over the 18.65% house edge paying the usual 10 to 1.

Internal Links

You might enjoy playing my Casino War game.

External Links

How To Play Card Game War

German translation of this page.

Nuclear War is a collectible common-deck card game designed by Douglas Malewicki, and originally published in 1965. It is currently (as of 2012) published by Flying Buffalo, and has inspired several expansions. It is a satirical simulation of an end-of-the-world scenario fought mostly with nuclear weapons.

Gameplay[edit]

The game is a multiplayer game, with each player having a small cardboard playmat upon which cards are placed and revealed. It is intended to be played by 3 or more players, but can also be played with only 2.

At the start of a game, each player is dealt a number of 'population cards,' ranging in denomination from 1 million to 25 million people. Players must protect their population, as the total loss of population leads to player elimination. They are then dealt a number of cards, which may be of the following types:

• Secrets which usually steal or reduce another player's population.
• Propaganda which steal another player's population, but have no effect once war has started.
• Delivery Systems usually missiles and bombers, which stay in play ready to hold a warhead. Later expansion sets add submarines and other options.
• Warheads which are fitted to a Delivery System, or discarded if there is not one available for them.
• Specials which are usually defensive cards to shoot down incoming missiles, or cards to increase the devastation caused by attacks.

Initially, players take turns playing secrets. Once all players have played all secrets and replaced cards from the deck they can announce 'no secrets' and place two cards face down. Players then take turns during which they will play a third face-down card, and then reveal the oldest face-down card (first in, first out) and resolve it. Secrets and propaganda cards are resolved immediately upon being exposed, while missile launches take more than one turn to properly set up.

The game begins in a Cold War, in which no one is yet at war and propaganda cards have full effect. Once players have a warhead fitted to a delivery system (for example by revealing a missile on one turn, then revealing a warhead on their next turn), they must launch an attack. When someone launches an attack, the threat of war is imminent. If the attack is successful, resulting in a nuclear detonation, (regardless if actual appreciable loss of life takes place) 'war is declared,' the Cold War is over, and propaganda cards are now worthless until a player is eliminated, at which time the Cold War resumes.

A truly successful attack reduces the target player's population; (bomb shelters and other civil defenses may mitigate against this); when a player's population reaches zero due to nuclear war, they may launch an immediate retaliatory attack (called 'final retaliation') but they are noted as defeated. Often, a final retaliation will end another player's game, leading to a final retaliation by that player, and so on. Hence, in some cases, many players can be defeated in a series of tragedy in a single turn (via this mutual assured destruction method). If a player is knocked out with a propaganda card, no retaliation is allowed. If a player is eliminated by a secret while war is not declared, no final retaliation is allowed.

The object of the game is to be the sole player remaining after all attacks are resolved. More often, final retaliation strikes remove all players in a chain reaction. Also, if the one and only 100-megaton bomb is exploded full force (not a 'MIRV' device) and strikes a nuclear stockpile (very unlikely), a chain reaction ensues that destroys all life on the planet: everybody loses. If all players are eliminated from play, then there is no winner. Alternatively, a variant scoring system has been developed that determines a winner via a point system — 1 point for a knock out, 2 points for a propaganda knock out, 3 points for a retaliation knock out, a variable number of points for position depending on number of players, and finally 2 points for surviving (with the survivor not necessarily being the points winner). This point system is seen by some game enthusiasts as a betrayal of the original sense of purpose for this game: to illustrate that nuclear war is a winless proposition no matter what.

The delivery systems in the game reflect some of those in the American arsenal at the time each set was released, including the Polaris, Atlas and Saturn rockets. Other available delivery systems include the XB-70 Valkyrie deep penetration bomber, which had been cancelled several years prior to the base game's release, but which had two operational prototypes at the time; and the Convair B-58 Hustler, out of service for 35 years by the time it was introduced in 2004's Weapons of Mass Destruction.

Card Game War Rules

Expansions[edit]

Flying Buffalo has released a number of expansions, many of which can be played separately or with the original game. Each expansion highlights the worries of the end-of-the-world scenarios—including actual, theoretical, and feared weapons—at the time of their releases.

Nuclear Escalation (1983)

Adds deterrents and defensive capabilities, space platforms, the 'glow-in-the-dark nuclear death die', and more.

Nuclear Proliferation (1992)

Each player now represents a different country with unique special powers. Adds submarines, atomic cannons, and more.

Nuclear War Booster Packs (1995)

Packs of 8 random cards from a set of 47 new cards.

Nuclear War Bonus Pack #1

9 new countries, warhead cards, a set of population cards, a bumper sticker, and a player assistance chart.

Nuclear War Bonus Pack #2 — India/Pakistan War Variant (1999)

Combines the Nuclear War game with the India Rails game.

Weapons of Mass Destruction (2004)

More cards for the game including new cards usable as either a missile or a warhead and a Deluxe Population deck featuring characters from Nodwick, Kenzer & Company and Dork Tower.

Nuclear War Bonus Pack #3

Same as Bonus Pack #1 but with new style of deluxe population cards from Weapons of Mass Destruction.

Reception[edit]

In the December 1980 edition of The Space Gamer (Issue No. 34), Steve Jackson commented, 'This is NOT an 'introductory' wargame – it's not a wargame at all. It's a card game. Recommended for a quick social game or for when everyone is too sleepy to play anything complex.'^[1]

In the December 1993 edition of Dragon (Issue 200), Allen Varney considered Nuclear War a classic. 'It’s a sin for a multi-player design to throw out a player before the game is over, but in this venerable game, that’s the whole point.'^[2]

Awards[edit]

Card Game War Directions

• Nuclear Escalation - Charles Roberts Award for Best Science Fiction Boardgame of 1983^[3]
• Nuclear Proliferation - Origins Award for Best Fantasy or Science Fiction Boardgame of 1992^[4]
• Nuclear War - inducted into the Origins Adventure Gaming Hall of Fame^[5]

In 1999 Pyramid magazine named Nuclear War as one of The Millennium's Best Card Games.^[6] Editor Scott Haring said 'Back when people were well-and-truly scared of the possibility of nuclear vaporization (I guess today either the threat is lessened, or it's become old hat), Nuclear War dared to make fun the possibility of mankind's dreaded nightmare via a card game.'^[6]

References[edit]

1. ^Jackson, Steve (December 1980). 'Capsule Reviews'. The Space Gamer. Steve Jackson Games (34): 31.
2. ^Varney, Allen (December 1993). 'Social Board Games'. Dragon. TSR, Inc. (200): 120.
3. ^'The Charles Roberts Awards (1983)'. Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts & Design. Archived from the original on 2008-04-15. Retrieved 2008-02-17.
4. ^'Origins Award Winners (1992)'. Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts & Design. Archived from the original on 2008-04-15. Retrieved 2008-02-17.
5. ^'Origins Award Winners (1997)'. Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts & Design. Archived from the original on 2008-01-30. Retrieved 2008-02-17.
6. ^ ^abHaring, Scott D. (1999-12-17). 'Second Sight: The Millennium's Best Card Game'. Pyramid (Online). Retrieved 2008-02-17.

External links[edit]

• Flying Buffalo's Nuclear War site
• Designer Douglas Malewicki's Nuclear War site
• Official online version of Nuclear War from GameTable Online website
• Nuclear War at BoardGameGeek

How Do You Play The Card Game War