Nations Atlas

The race to the White House

PLAYSTATES

How to Play

There are 54 cards to be dealt and a total of 538 electoral votes to win. Each state you win, by selecting the best stat, wins the State electoral votes. The first to 270 is elected President of the United States of America.

Flag of California
Landmark of California

California

Eureka

Seal of California

The Golden State

CA

Electoral Votes

54

  • One card is played face up, the other face down. You pick the best one of the ten rows on your card you believe will beat your opponent.
  • The higher figure wins every category — the biggest number takes the round.
  • If there is a draw in the number, no winner — and both cards played drop into the bonus pot between the hands. The round winner sweeps the whole pot, so a drawn round carries its votes into the next one.
  • Two power cards — United States and Power to Vote — are shuffled in, but only turn up after round five. They carry no figures of their own: a power card simply takes the round and the electoral votes on the states played. If they meet, Power to Vote wins. Play carries on until someone reaches 270.

The ten stat categories

1
TOTAL AREATotal land and water area of the state in square miles.
2
HIGHEST POINTThe state's tallest peak and its height in feet.
3
LOWEST POINTThe lowest point in the state — below sea level counts as a low number.
4
POPULATIONResident population as a 2026 projection, in millions.
5
LARGEST CITYThe state's biggest city proper and its 2026 population estimate.
6
CAPITAL CITYThe state capital city and its 2026 population estimate.
7
GDPGross state product — everything the state produces in a year, as 2026 output in dollars.
8
GDP PER CAPITAGDP divided by the population on row 4: the average economic output per person.
9
ACTIVE TROOPSActive-duty military personnel stationed in the state, as a 2026 count.
10
DEFENCE2026 defence spending in the state — installations, payroll and prime contracts.

All ten figures are the latest 2026 estimates. Every category is won by the higher figure, so pick the row where your state's number is biggest.

Both decks are dealt from the same shuffled pack. Every round you call the row first, then Andy AI's card is turned over and the higher figure takes the round.