How Do You Play War (the American Children's Card Game)?

A game for 2-8 people. Suitable from age 4-104.

Get an ordinary deck of cards.  Take out the joker(s).  Some people take out the face cards, too.

Decide whether Aces are high or low!  Traditionally they are low.  

Assess the players.  Are they old enough for a game longer than 5 minutes?  If not, then set aside half the pack (it doesn't really which half).

Shuffle cards well, and deal an equal number of cards to all players.  Players keep cards hidden until playing them.

Each player takes a single card from their pile and puts it down face up.  The player with the highest value card takes all the face-up cards and puts them to the bottom of their pile.

Repeat, and repeat, and repeat.  The winner is the last one with all the cards or when defeat is conceded.  It can take a really long time to get through the game if you play with all the cards.