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Table Games War! What is it good for? Absolutely nothing!

Discussion in 'Table Games' started by bryan1650t, May 6, 2014.

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  1. bryan1650t

    bryan1650t Tourist

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    Great song, but on my trip last month I ducked into the Cromwell to see what the buzz was about. I guess I live in a cave, but I was shocked to see that War was a table game! The graphics on the table showed a bunch of colonial era ships. This is the same as the child's game, right? So, basically, you could Martingale this game and come out ahead, right? There's got to be a catch. How the heck could this game be a table game?

    A basic Martingale strategy would beat this, right? You are only playing against the dealer, right? Please educate me on what is going on here with this table game. What is next, coin flip? Heads or tails? Sheesh!
     
  2. zamboni

    zamboni VIP Whale

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    I have seen it at Wynn I think it was. I had to do a double take myself. It was one of the games in the "no-frills" casino Cousin Eddie took Clark to in Vegas Vacation.
     
  3. joshrocker

    joshrocker VIP Whale

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    This is an old game. It's been around for many many years. I've never played it personally, but I believe the house wins all ties.
     
  4. Kickin

    Kickin Flea

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    Yes it is the same game you played as a kid, its been in the casino for a long time now. High card wins. The house gets its edge when you tie. Then you either have to surrender half your bet or double down and go to war. If you go to war and win you only win back your original bet, if you lose the dealer gets both your bets (i.e. you're betting 2 to win 1).

    No you cannot beat it by Martingale. It is the same as any game you try to Martingale, it will work until it doesn't and you lose your shirt (or hit table max).

    Its a game for total adrenaline junkies because it is easy and moves fast as hell.
     
  5. tringlomane

    tringlomane STP Addicted Beer Snob

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    It's not quite the same...

    If you tie the dealer, you either must surrender half your wager (never do this), or "go to war" and place another wager down. If you lose the war, you lose both wagers, but if you win or tie the war, your original bet pushes so you only win 1 wager instead of 2.

    Always surrendering gives the house a 3.70% edge in a 6 deck game while always going to war gives the house a 2.88% edge.

    http://wizardofodds.com/games/casino-war/

    I'll give Cromwell credit for a creative felt for the game.
     
  6. dfalk

    dfalk VIP Whale

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    I always knew it existed it but never saw it/looked for it at the casino. Last trip I walked by an empty $5 table at PH, laughed and said I have to try this. Bought in for $10 and within like 3 minutes I was up $100. Thought to myself this is to good to be true so I cashed out and walked away.

    Unfortantly the next night I was drunk and saw a war table at Paris. Ended up losing that $100. Stay away from war, its like crack.
     
  7. bryan1650t

    bryan1650t Tourist

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    Vegas Vacation reference, NICE!!
     
  8. LV2GAMBLE

    LV2GAMBLE Certified LOW Roller

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    We played this last week at Harrah's. We had a fun dealer, who's name was Shrek..yes, he said that was his real name. We had, or at least I, had fun playing. I came out ahead while the spouse lost his buy in. Wanted to play it again a couple days later but we saw Shrek was not dealing the game that day. :drunk:
     
  9. bjpcyclone

    bjpcyclone High-Roller

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    I played it a few years ago drunk as hell at old O'Sheas and I just couldn't understand why I had to bet more on a tie just to "preserve" my bet. We had a super fun (ie. drunk) table. But holy hell there are swings in the game. I don't know how many hands per hour are played at a full table but it's much, much faster than BJ.
     
  10. WrongWayWade

    WrongWayWade VIP Whale

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    Right. Where I can I play "What Number Am I Thinking?" LOL :peace:
     
  11. bobbyh

    bobbyh Tourist

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    I remember playing it at the Mirage my first time in Vegas in the late 90's.

    I thought I was going to crush that game. I lost $100 so fast I was almost crying thinking that this was the same game I played as a kid.
     
  12. stackinchips

    stackinchips VIP Whale

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    I remember a guy posting here a while back that exclusively plays War in Vegas at $100/hand. I told him he must be the worlds largest War player.
     
  13. bjpcyclone

    bjpcyclone High-Roller

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    What's really funny are the slot players (I play slots but not exclusively) telling people how bad War is for the player and how the house loves it.

    Last I checked HA for War is just under 3%. I'd guess nearly all of the traditional slot machines have a HA much higher.
     
  14. bu$hman

    bu$hman Guppie trying to become a whale

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    I agree on that comment, it's funny to hear how bad it is. My wife always says she is going to play it, and I give her grief. I know, the edge is not too bad, but it's the SPEED of the game that gets me. NB: I don't play the slots, just craps, bj and baccarat.
     
  15. stackinchips

    stackinchips VIP Whale

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    Yeah, my comment wasn't in that it's a terrible game (although certainly falls into the "carney" category for table games), just that I rarely see anyone playing and if I do it's red chip level. It's just uncommon for someone to play War exclusively, and do so at the black chip level.

    bu$hman brings up a good point though. Like Video Keno vs. Regular Keno, where video keno has a fraction of the HA, the end result isn't much different for the same amount of time played. If a game A has a HA that is half the amount of game B, but moves twice as fast, the theoretical loss is the same on both games.
     
  16. bigsuv

    bigsuv Low-Roller

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    i remember i played it years ago but either almost fell asleep or kept watching the ball games behind the dealer and my wife kept telling me to either put or take my money. pretty boring, imho. but it's a good game for people who want to play table games but don't know rest of the games except war. i've seen a lot of young chicks having a blast with that game.
     
  17. topcard

    topcard Here's to $10 3:2 two-deck, $5 Craps, and $5 UTH!

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    What's next? "Guess the Number"

    :jester:
     
    Annual Spring Trip!
  18. Kickin

    Kickin Flea

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    You should see it in AC on weekends. Its at $25 min and you'll see it packed with people playing stacks of greens or black.

    I play it the same way I play roulette, if I have some chips in my hand when I'm walking by a table I'll throw down a couple of bets.
     
  19. offandon

    offandon Tourist

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    It must have been at least 10 years ago when I saw War for the first time in a casino. I was walking through MGM and saw it. I immediately start making stupid jokes with my friend about War and who would play it, etc.

    Well, next thing I know the dealer is relentlessly taunting me. Telling me there is no possible way I can beat him at War. He keeps going on and on about it until I relent and put down $100 and start playing War at 10 bucks a hand.

    It took him all of about 10-15 minutes to take my $100. Losing the $100 was nothing compared to the shame I felt for first being taunted into playing War and then the fact that dbag toasted me so badly at it.
     
  20. alana86

    alana86 Low-Roller

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    I have played war at Paris! It's fun. I will have to try it at the Cromwell :)
     
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