Learning how to play the casino game of war may be the easiest task you've ever had, especially if you remember playing on the kitchen table for matchsticks. High card wins. That's about it. It's easier than playing blackjack, where you are dealing with multiple cards, and can actually be fun and a nice diversion.
The game can be played with any number of decks. Many casinos now offer this game on a continuous shuffler machine using five decks. Card suits don't matter and Aces are always high.
Making a BetAfter the players make their bets in the wagering circle, the dealer will deliver on card, face up to each player, and one card to themselves. Any player with a card higher than the dealer wins even money on their bet. If their card is lower than the dealers card, they lose.
Player and Dealer TieWhen a player has the same card as the dealer, the hand is a tie. Now the fun starts, and the casino gets to make some money. Before this point the game is break-even for the player and the dealer, but when their is a tie, the house has the financial edge, because the player needs to double their bet and the dealer only matches on bet, so the player risks two bets to win one, or, the player may choose to surrender half their wager and forgo the "war."
On a five-deck machine, the house edge is 2.86 percent. If the house offers a bonus of one matching bet if both the player and dealer tie again during the "war" on their next cards, the edge is whittled down to about 2.32 percent. If the player surrenders, the house edge is about 3.67 percent.
Tie BetThe game of war also offers a separate "tie" wager. This bet is won when the dealer and player's first cards are the same. The payoff is 10 to 1. On a five-deck machine the house edge is a very steep 19.31 percent. The fewer the decks used, the higher the house percentage on the tie bet. You might want to pass on this bet.
