There is hardly anyone who hasn’t played or at least heard about War, the famous table game that has been known to connect friends and family for years now. As much as it may be competitive, the stakes at the regular War normally involve washing the dishes or throwing out the garbage. Looking for a way to make things more interesting, fans of the board game have created Casino War, where the stakes can vary based on the operator’s policy, and players can win much more than a night without house chores.
Rules of Casino War
The game of Casino War is played with six 52-card decks and any number of players, all set up against the dealer instead of going at each other. Card ranks are the same as poker, with the sole distinction that the Ace is always the highest-value card.
In order for the game to start, players need to place their wagers, after which each player and the dealer are dealt a single card. Its value determines the following game play – if the player’s card is lower than the dealer, they lose their wager, and if it’s higher, the player wins their wager. However, if the cards are a tie, then the player has two choices – they can forfeit half their stake, or go to war.
Should the player choose the second option, the player places a wager equal to the initial one, and so does the dealer. After that, the dealer burns the first three cards and deals one face-up card for themselves and the player. A higher card on the dealer’s side means the player loses both wagers, but a tie or a higher card for the player means they push their initial wager (get their money back) and get even payout on their second wager.
Casino War Strategies
While the first paragraph dealt with the ground rules, strategies make up for the added edge by adding something extra. If the player has a tie or higher card during war, casinos offer all kinds of bonuses or wager options that increase their winnings. A good Casino War strategy would be to look through your options and choose the one that allows the most player freedom, although that doesn’t mean you should take the options at your disposal.
One guiding strategy is to refuse to forfeit, as it instantly increases house edge to 3.70%, and always go to war, as it decreases house edge to 2.88%. Secondly, you should think carefully before accepting the side bet opportunities when at war – it increases house edge to a high 18.65%. And lastly, make sure you keep track of the Aces – if you know one is bound to show up, your odds just got better.
Playing Casino War
While this casino table game is available in various establishments, recent tech developments allow players to enjoy it online, both for real money and play-money stakes (for real money play click here). These websites offer players additional war tactics and thus a wider choice of game play, all at arms’ length.
