No.252
War: Compare the Card Values
Japanese name: 戦争という名の数くらべ
Materials
- A standard 52-card deck, without jokers
How to play
- Shuffle and deal 26 cards to each player in face-down draw piles. Confirm the ranking, highest first: ace, king, queen, jack, 10 down to 2.
- On “Ready, go,” each player turns over their top card. The player with the higher rank takes both cards into a separate scoring pile.
- If ranks tie, leave those cards in the centre and each turn another card. The next higher card wins every card accumulated in the centre, including that comparison's cards.
- Never return scoring cards to a draw pile. Continue until both have turned all 26 cards. If the final comparison is tied, split all remaining centre cards equally.
- Count scoring cards; the higher total wins, or call a draw if equal. Gather the deck and change dealers for the next round.
Ways to adapt
Preschool children: use 2–10 only. Primary school children: add aces and picture cards.