Comments on: Two player card games

Question: Two player card games

sugarfish — Tue, 15 Mar 2005 21:38:53 -0800

One deck of cards. Two of us. What's the best game to play?

By: cerebus19

cerebus19 — Tue, 15 Mar 2005 21:42:57 -0800

If you have a cribbage board, that'd be my suggestion.

By: agropyron

agropyron — Tue, 15 Mar 2005 21:45:47 -0800

Speed. Lots of fun at the airport waiting for your flight, or whatnot. It might look a little complicated to set up, but it's easy to grasp.

By: PY

PY — Tue, 15 Mar 2005 21:46:27 -0800

I like Crazy Eights, for most of the reasons this guy gives.

By: euphorb

euphorb — Tue, 15 Mar 2005 21:48:46 -0800

Speed/Spit or Rummy 500.

By: obiwanwasabi

obiwanwasabi — Tue, 15 Mar 2005 21:55:40 -0800

Strip poker - d'uh.

By: judith

judith — Tue, 15 Mar 2005 22:00:44 -0800

war!

By: box

box — Tue, 15 Mar 2005 22:12:55 -0800

Gin.

By: krisjohn

krisjohn — Tue, 15 Mar 2005 22:14:30 -0800

If it can be any deck of cards, I'd recommend Fluxx. There are also Monopoly and Scrabble card games that are quite fun, even with only two.

By: wsg

wsg — Tue, 15 Mar 2005 22:19:37 -0800

I haven't played in years, but I remember having tons of fun playing Casino. Great game!

By: dirtynumbangelboy

dirtynumbangelboy — Tue, 15 Mar 2005 22:22:20 -0800

Gin (oldschool or 500 version) or cribbage are my personal favourites.

By: ROU_Xenophobe

ROU_Xenophobe — Tue, 15 Mar 2005 22:31:40 -0800

*One* deck? Dunno. Fifty-Two Pick-Up?

Now, if the two people had, say, *three* decks, they could have a good time playing Spite and Malice, AKA Cat and Mouse.

I play a slightly different version from what's in either of those rule-sets, but hey.

By: arha

arha — Tue, 15 Mar 2005 22:58:02 -0800

German Whist

By: hopeless romantique

hopeless romantique — Tue, 15 Mar 2005 23:43:43 -0800

Palace. Best and most addictive game ever.

By: ModestyBCatt

ModestyBCatt — Tue, 15 Mar 2005 23:54:53 -0800

I second German Whist, it was the first good 2 player card game I discovered and still my favorite.

Easy to pick up and a great mix of skill and gambling.

By: tweak

tweak — Wed, 16 Mar 2005 00:38:24 -0800

Kings in the Corners, High Card (whoever pulls the best card from the deck wins!), Beggar your Neighbor (aka Egyptian rat screw), Heads-Up Texas Hold 'em, Indian style.

By: cactus

cactus — Wed, 16 Mar 2005 02:57:50 -0800

Another vote for Gin Rummy, Oklahoma Style.

By: donpardo

donpardo — Wed, 16 Mar 2005 04:40:02 -0800

Casino

By: redfoxtail

redfoxtail — Wed, 16 Mar 2005 05:41:11 -0800

I second Cribbage. You can even play without a board, though it's definitley much easier with.

By: dflemingdotorg

dflemingdotorg — Wed, 16 Mar 2005 05:45:02 -0800

Another spit/speed vote.

By: Pattie

Pattie — Wed, 16 Mar 2005 06:25:46 -0800

Clobyosh and Piquet are two of our favorites.

By: OmieWise

OmieWise — Wed, 16 Mar 2005 06:59:19 -0800

Cuarenta, a great (great) Ecuadoran card game for two or four people. The two player version is great. The rules take a bit of learning, but it's really pretty easy to play. I'm sure you could find rules online. I know there is a Palm version that could maybe teach you to play.

By: OmieWise

OmieWise — Wed, 16 Mar 2005 07:01:48 -0800

Cuarenta rules.

By: DevilsAdvocate

DevilsAdvocate — Wed, 16 Mar 2005 07:06:22 -0800

Third for cribbage. If you two are particularly competitive, be sure to use the "muggins" rule. (If one player fails to score points to which he is entitled, the other player can call "muggins" and claim those points for himself.)

By: CrunchyFrog

CrunchyFrog — Wed, 16 Mar 2005 07:20:49 -0800

Another vote for both cribbage and casino. If you don't have a cribbage board, just keep score on paper.

By: sugarfish

sugarfish — Wed, 16 Mar 2005 07:48:04 -0800

Wow, thanks for all the great suggestions! And keep them coming! :D

By: eas98

eas98 — Wed, 16 Mar 2005 07:55:15 -0800

I love the aforementioned Casino. Fun and strategic, and pretty easy to learn.

By: handful of rain

handful of rain — Wed, 16 Mar 2005 08:00:00 -0800

Another vote for cribbage! And also California Jack. When my husband and I went to Africa for the Peace Corps we took a copy of Hoyle and made a point of learning a ton of two-person card games. California Jack was the best!

By: kenko

kenko — Wed, 16 Mar 2005 08:26:17 -0800

Nth-ings for gin, german whist and cribbage. You don't need a board for cribbage, just remember that there are 121 points and the point before which you're skunked is (something I can't remember, and I hope I was right about 121 points--I haven't played in a while), and use paper and pen.

By: widdershins

widdershins — Wed, 16 Mar 2005 09:27:53 -0800

I'm always looking for good 2-person cardgames - can't wait to read through these when time permits.

By: sauril

sauril — Wed, 16 Mar 2005 11:01:31 -0800

Spite and Malice also works well with 2 decks. It's a great game.

By: grubstake

grubstake — Thu, 17 Mar 2005 04:52:38 -0800

I second Cuarenta. And Honeymoon Bridge is another good one.