20 Best 2-Player Card Games for Kids and Adults
March 7, 2025
Playing cards is one of the most popular pastimes. Like reading, card games don’t require any special materials, and you can participate almost anywhere at any time. The flexibility of these hobbies is likely why they have endured for so long. While some card games, like solitaire, only require one person, there are also many 2 player card games that are perfect to play with a friend and often have an easy setup. So, if you’re limited on players but are still looking for a quick card match, then keep reading to see our curated list of two-player card games.
The 20 Best 2-Player Card Games
For each game, we highlight the name of the game, how it works—or its instructions—and then detail how to keep score. While some games require adding up points, other times, the aim of the game is to be the first to discard your hand.
Each of these two-player card games requires only a standard deck (or two) of cards. You do not need any special decks for these games.
While this list is subjective, we did select games that are more recognizable and traditional card games that have endured over time.
So, let’s begin!
1) Trash
Trust us, this 2-player card game is nicer than the name suggests.
How it works: Two players use a single deck of cards. Each player is dealt ten cards, face down. Players may not look at their cards. The rest of the deck becomes the stockpile.
The first player draws a card from the stockpile. If the number is an Ace through ten, then the player may place that card in the correct location on the layout. (The first card in the sequence is an Ace, the second card should be a 2, then a 3, etc.). To replace the card, the player must remove their face-down card and reveal it. If the face-down card was another useable number for their sequence, the player may continue replacing cards in the correct order for as long as play can continue.
When the player draws a card they are unable to use and have run out of moveable plays, they must discard and end their turn. The second player may pick up and use the discarded card or draw from the deck for a new card.
Drawing a queen or king will end a player’s turn. Jacks may be used as a wild card to occupy any space.
Keeping score: The winner of the hand is the first to complete their layout by having the appropriate number of cards in the correct order. The cards are then reshuffled and distributed again, face down. However, the player who won the previous hand is only dealt nine cards. Every time a player successfully completes their sequence, the number of cards they need to win the next hand decreases by one.
To win the game, you must be the first to complete every sequence, going from 10 cards down to one card.
2) War
You’ve likely heard of this game, as War is one of the most popular 2 player card games. It’s a game based on luck but still fun to play!
How it works: The goal is to collect every card in the deck. The cards are divided equally between players. Players must not look at the cards and stack them face down.
Then, players flip over the top card of the deck to reveal the card. The player who has the card with the highest value wins the round, collects both cards, and adds the cards, face up, to the bottom of their stack.
If both players flip over a card of the same value, then it’s war!
To settle the war, players must draw two cards from their stack, placing one face down and one facing up. The player showing the highest card value wins the “battle” and collects all cards on the table.
Keeping score: The player who collects all the cards in the deck is the winner.
3) Memory
Test your brain power in this 2 player card game.
How it works: Lay all cards in the deck face down on the table. Each player takes turns flipping over two cards at a time. If the cards match, then the player collects both cards. If they do not match, the cards are then flipped over and left in place.
Keeping score: The player who collects the most card pairs wins the game.
4) Crazy Eights
A game similar to Uno but with a twist.
How it works: For this 2 player card game, each player is dealt 7 cards. The remaining cards in the deck are used for the stockpile. The first player places a card on the table, facing up. The second player must match either the suit or the number (or face) of the card.
Some variations, like skip, are in place when certain cards are used.
Eights are wild cards and may be played at any time. If a player uses an eight, then they get to choose the next suit the other player must use.
Keeping score: The first player to get rid of all the cards in their hand is the winner.
5) Go Fish!
It’s a classic 2 player card game for a reason! No water necessary.
How it works: Two players are dealt seven cards from a standard deck. The remaining cards are placed face-down in a pile in the middle of the table, creating the “ocean.”
Players take turns asking each other for a specific card. If the player owns this card in their hand, then they must give it to the other player.
However, if the card is not in the player’s hand, then the asker must “go fish,” and choose a card from the ocean. If the player does not draw the card that they asked for, then must return it. However, if they do find the card they asked for, then they get to keep it.
The goal is to match 4 of the same card; for example, all the 4s in the deck. Once they have achieved this, all 4 cards are placed on the table and form a 4-card book. Players keep going until no more books can be made.
Keeping score: The player with the most matching cards, or books, wins.
6) Old Maid
Don’t get stuck with the odd one out!
How it works: Using a full deck of cards, remove one of the queens. The remaining cards are dealt to the two players until each of the cards are gone.
First, players look through their hand and remove pairs of cards that go together. For example, a pair of 7s. (Suits don’t matter. The number does). Pairs of cards are placed face-up on the table.
Then, after each card pair is played, players take turns picking a card from each other’s hands without looking to continue making pairs. The cards should be hidden from view unless they are placed into a pair. Ultimately, the goal is to not be the player who ends up with the single queen without her pair.
Keeping score: The winner is the one who matches all their cards into pairs.
7) Slap Jack
Speed is your friend in this game of focus and recognition.
How it works: Players are evenly dealt an entire deck of cards. The cards are placed face-down in front of the player. Then, players take turns drawing the top card from their deck and laying it face up on the table.
If a Jack is played, the players must move to be the first one to slap the deck. The first player to do so wins all of the cards on the deck. These cards are then placed back into the player’s pile. The game continues until one player has all the cards.
Keeping score: The player with all the cards in the deck wins the game.
8) Rummy
How it works: You will need a standard deck of 52 cards. Each player is dealt seven cards, one at a time. The remaining cards are placed in the middle. The top card in the middle pile is placed face up. On their turn, players can either pick up the face-up card or the top face-down card of the pile. Players must make sure they have seven cards in hand at all times. Any discarded cards are placed face-up on the table.
The goal of the game is to have one set of three cards and one set of four cards in your hand.
Keeping score: The player who creates their matching pairs first is the winner.
9) Golf
A fun 2 player card game combining both luck and strategy.
How it works: Each player is dealt 6 cards to be placed in a grid format of two rows of three cards. At first, cards must remain face down. After cards are arranged, each player is allowed to turn over two cards in any position.
The goal is to have the lowest total value of cards showing. Matching cards of the same value cancels out the amount (for a total of zero). Cards are matched vertically in the column.
On their turn, the player draws a card and either chooses to discard it or replace it with another card in their grid in an attempt to match values. The round ends when one player has all face-up cards in front of them.
Kings count as zero, and 2s count as minus points.
Keeping score: The player with the lowest score after five rounds of play is the winner.
10) GOPS
A “Game Of Pure Strategy.”
How it works: Remove all diamond suit cards from the deck. These diamond cards are shuffled and revealed one at time. When they are revealed, they are considered up for bid.
Each player is issued cards of the same suit. (For example, all spades, all hearts). Players will use these cards to place their bets for the diamond cards. Players reveal their cards at the same time. The player who has the highest shown value wins the auction for the diamond card.
A tie is resolved by showing another diamond card. Players then place a second bet. The second bet wins both the new diamond card and the previous one.
Keeping score: Diamonds won count as points corresponding to their number value. Aces are 1; Jacks are 11; Queens as 12; and Kings as 13 points. The player with the most points after all diamonds have been distributed is the winner.
11) Le Truc
One of the two-player card games designed to call your bluff.
How it works: Each player is dealt three cards. Suits do not influence the game. Each round calls for three “tricks” to be played. Players win the “trick” by playing the higher number.
Here’s where the bluffing comes into play. Before revealing their card, players can propose to increase the amount of points that the round is worth, suggesting they have a higher card. The other player can choose to fold if they do not think they will win the round. Winning the hand requires winning two out of three tricks. Tie tricks go to whoever wins the next trick.
However, the player who is leading in the gameplay can also propose a redeal before the first card of the round is played.
Keeping score: The first player to reach 12 points is the winner.
12) Spite and Malice
It’s all about order in this card game.
How it works: This 2 player game requires two decks of cards. Each player receives a pile of 20 face-down cards, with the top card face up. To win the game, you must be the first player to work through the 20 cards, solitaire-style.
On each player’s turn, they first draw a hand of five cards. Cards must then either be played in their solitaire, or moved into personal discard piles or into a shared building pile that ascends from Ace to Queens. Kings are wild cards.
Keeping score: The winner is the first to work through each of their cards.
13) Nertz
A competitive solitaire game that’s all about speed!
How it works: Each player uses their own deck of cards. Every player then deals themselves 13 cards, face down, in their “Nertz” pile. Make sure each card deck uses a different design. The goal is to eliminate all cards from this pile by moving cards into either their own personal solitaire or into the common area in the middle of the table.
The personal solitaire game begins by flipping over 4 cards from the deck (not the Nertz pile), and then flipping up the top card of the Nertz pile. Remaining cards in the deck are used as a stockpile if players get stuck in the middle of the game.
The common area consists of card piles that are meant to be stacked in ascending order. Suits must match. So, for example, if an Ace of clubs is in the middle of the table, then you may place a 2 of clubs on top. A pile of cards in the common area can only be started if an ace is played to start the pile.
Every player works at the same time. When a player empties their Nertz pile, then they yell out “Nertz!” to end the hand.
Keeping score: Once Nertz is called, players add up their points. They earn a point for every card that was played in the common area. Then, they must subtract two points for every card still in their Nertz pile. Cards in the personal solitaire game do not count for or against the score. The first player to reach 100 points wins the game.
14) Egyptian Rat Screw
Another 2 player card game dedicated to speedy plays.
How it works: The deck is divided equally between players. Make sure to keep the jokers in. Players must stack their cards, face down, without looking at them. Then, each player turns over their card to reveal it on the table.
If a face card or an Ace is revealed, the next player must play one of these cards. But if they cannot, the sequence is broken. If this happens, then the last player to have plated a face card or an Ace wins the cards on the pile and adds them to their stack.
Players can also add “slap” rules to the game, where if a particular card is shown, the players can slap the deck to win all the cards on the pile—similar to Slap Jack.
Keeping score: The goal is to collect the full deck of cards, including jokers. The first player to do so wins the game.
15) Blackjack
Looking for 21!
How it works: One player will act as the “dealer,” and one is the player. The dealer will provide both the player and themselves with one card face down, and then place one card face up in the middle of the table. and will give themselves one card face down. Both players may secretly check the value of their face-down card.
Number cards are worth their designated amount. Jacks, queens, and kings are worth 10 points, and Aces can be worth either one point or 11 points.
The goal is for the value of the player’s cards and the card in the middle of the table to be as close to 21 as possible without going over. If the added value goes over 21, the player busts and is out of the round.
Players may choose to either “hit,” which means that another card is dealt to add to the total. Or, players can “stay” at the value, and score, they already have.
Keeping score: You can play as many rounds as you’d like, as they tend to move quickly. Whoever wins the round is the player who scores either 21 or closest to 21 the most times.
16) Double Solitaire
A solitary game turned friendly.
How it works: Players use two standard decks of cards; make sure each set of cards uses a different design. Players will work with foundation piles, tableau piles, stockpiles, and waste piles.
Foundation piles are located at the top of your playing area. They are empty at the beginning of the game, and players must fill them with cards of each suit to win.
Tableau piles form playable columns. After the tableau is dealt, the remaining cards enter the stockpile; placed at the bottom of the deck. As the stockpile empties, players create a waste pile to keep cards separate.
The game follows the same rules as solitaire, but double solitaire requires that each player sets up their tableau layouts individually. Players will work one at a time until they cannot make any more moves, and then the other player will resume.
Keeping score: The player who places all their cards onto the foundation pile first wins.
17) German Whist
Another card game that isn’t as tricky as it sounds.
How it works: Each player receives 13 cards. The remaining cards in the deck are used for the draw pile, and the top card is flipped face up to determine trump for the game.
The non-dealer plays first and leads by playing a card to the middle with either the trump or another higher card. The other player must then play the same suit if they have it in their hand. If they cannot follow the suit, then they play another card.
The highest number wins the “tick,” or the hand. Whoever wins the first trick leads the next trick, and so on.
Keeping score: Winning seven or more ticks means you win the game.
18) Bluff
Test your bluffing skills with this 2 player card game.
How it works: Players will be dealt 26 cards each. All cards must be kept hidden while in the player’s hands, and are placed facedown when initially played.
The first player to go will start with an Ace. Each time a card is played, the player must announce what they are playing. For example, by saying “One Ace,” when the card is played.
Then, the other player may call their bluff, if do not believe the card is an ace. Players may lie and place any card down, even if they do not have the correct card.
If a player is challenged by their opponent, they must reveal the played card. If the player was lying, they must collect all the cards on the table. However, if they were telling the truth, then the opponent must take all the cards.
Keeping score: The player who can successfully discard all of their cards wins the game.
19) Gin Rummy
How it works: Each player is dealt 10 cards. A draw pile is created in the middle of the table with the remainder of the deck. One card is placed face up to start.
Players then take turns picking up one card from either the face-up pile or the draw pile. Their turn ends when they discard, and their hand returns to 10 cards.
The goal is for players to create combinations of runs of the same suit or sets of the same rank. Runs must be 3 or more cards. Runs and sets remain in the player’s hand the whole round.
To end the round, players can say “gin,” and add up their points, if all cards are within a set.
Keeping score: The first player to reach 100 points first wins.
20) Speed
How it works: Two piles of five cards are placed in the center of the table. Two piles of one card each are in between the piles of five cards. Both players should start with 20 cards in their hand. Each player will draw five cards from the top of their deck of 20.
Both players flip up the two piles of one card each at the same time. Each player will play one card from their hand as fast as they can, placing cards onto the two piles that are either one number higher or one number lower than the cards lying face up in the playing area. Suit is not considered.
Players should always have 5 cards in their hand at a time.
If neither player can play, then each player will take the top card from the two piles of five cards and use those are the new face-up cards.
Keeping score: The player to get rid of all their cards first is the winner. They must yell “Speed!” to signal that the game has ended.
2-Player Card Games – In Review
Even if you aren’t able to find a large group to play, there is always a card game for two people. It is amazing how many possibilities a standard deck of cards offers, and there are many options for gameplay.
However, if you’re looking for other ways to pass the time, then you can check out some of our trivia lists for fun facts about celebrities, watch a movie, or crack open a good book.
Or, if you’re feeling more talkative, then you can check out our list of 101 Deep Questions to use with a friend.
We hope this list of two player card games helps you find some inspiration. Now, grab a deck and get playing!
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