Two-player card games are one of the easiest ways to turn a slow night into something actually fun. No setup, no board, no rules booklet that takes longer to read than the game itself. Plus, all you need is a standard deck of cards and a second person who’s willing to get a little competitive with you. That should all be easy enough to find! So, without further ado, here are the 20 best card games for two that you can play with a standard deck of cards. We’ve divided the games below into easy and slightly more difficult games if you’re up for a challenge and some strategy.
10 EASY CARD GAMES FOR TWO WITH A STANDARD DECK OF CARDS
Sometimes, you just want something fast and easy to play with a single deck of cards, so here are the best easy card games for two. You may be familiar with many of these already!
1. WAR
War is basically the ultimate “zero strategy” card game, which is exactly why it’s so easy to play. To play, just split the deck evenly, then flip your top card at the same time. The higher card between the two wins and takes both. If you tie, you go to “war”. This entails each player placing three more cards face down in front of them next to their already flipped card. Then, the two players flip over a fourth card, and whoever wins that gets to keep all 10 cards! Keep going until one player has all the cards.
2. GO FISH
Go Fish is a classic, especially if you want something light and easy. Deal seven cards each, then take turns asking for a rank you already have in your hand (“Do you have any 4s?”). If your opponent has them, they have to hand them over. If they don’t, you draw a card from the deck. In other words, you “go fish.” Whenever you collect four of a kind, you lay it down as a “book”. Whoever has the most books at the end wins.
3. CRAZY EIGHTS
Crazy Eights is one of the best “Uno-style” card games you can play with a normal deck. Deal each player 7 cards, flip one card face-up in the middle, and take turns playing a card that matches either the rank or suit. If you can’t play, you draw. The fun part is that 8s are wild, meaning you can play them at any time and choose the suit that continues play. The first person to run out of cards wins the round!
Then, after the round ends, score points for how many and what type of cards you have left in your hand. Whoever reaches 100 points first after playing round after round loses the game.
4. OLD MAID
One of our favorite card games for two that you can play with a standard deck of cards is Old Maid. This game is simple but slightly evil. Before you play, remove one Queen from the deck (or use a Joker as the “Old Maid”), deal out all the cards, and have both players discard any pairs they can make right away. Then, take turns drawing a random card from the other player’s hand and making pairs as you go. The goal is to get rid of all your cards. Whoever is stuck with the Old Maid loses! There will 100% be some trickery involved in getting the other player
5. SPEED
Speed is one of the best fast-paced two-player card games, and it gets intense quickly. Plus, all you need to play this exciting game is a single deck of cards. You each have your own piles and a hand of cards, and there are two face-up piles in the middle. At the same time (no turns), you try to play cards onto the middle piles that are one rank higher or lower than the top card. You don’t get to overthink it. You just react – chaotically, we might add! The first person to clear their cards wins, and you’ll almost definitely want a rematch.
6. SLAPJACK
Slapjack is pure chaos in the best way. If you like speed, you’ll love this one too. Deal the deck evenly, then take turns flipping cards face-up into a central pile. When a Jack shows up, the first person to slap the pile wins it. If you slap at the wrong time, you usually have to pay a penalty (house rules vary). It’s simple, fast, and very loud for a game that’s technically just flipping cards.
7. SPOONS (TWO-PLAYER VERSION)
Another super-fast card game you will love is Spoons. While this is usually a party game, you can play a fun two-player version if you want something quick and competitive. The goal stays the same: get four of a kind before your opponent does, then grab the “spoon” (or any object in the middle). With only two players, it’s basically a race. And you’ll be shocked how fast it gets intense once you’re both one card away.
8. SNAP
I hope you’re not sick of fast-paced card games yet! Snap is one of those games that’s perfect when you want something mindless but still competitive. Split the deck evenly and take turns flipping cards face-up into a shared pile. When two cards of the same rank appear back-to-back, the first person to shout “Snap!” wins the pile. Keep playing until someone collects the whole deck.
9. MEMORY (CONCENTRATION)
Memory is a great choice if you want something slower and more relaxed. Shuffle the deck and lay all the cards face down in a grid. On your turn, flip two cards. If they match, you keep them and go again. If they don’t, flip them back and try to remember where they are. When all cards are claimed, whoever has the most pairs wins.
10. EGYPTIAN RATSCREW
If you want a game that feels like Speed + Slapjack + chaos, Egyptian Ratscrew is the way to go. Deal the cards evenly, then take turns flipping cards into a central pile. When someone plays a face card, the other player has a limited number of chances to respond with another face card. And if they fail, the face-card player wins the pile.
On top of the above, the slapping rules are what make this game famous, and most people play with some version of these:
- Doubles (like 7 on 7)
- Sandwiches (like 7, King, 7)
Be warned: this game turns friendly nights into “I swear I slapped first” debates very quickly.
10 BEST CARD GAMES FOR TWO WITH A STANDARD DECK OF CARDS
These games take a little longer to learn than the first section, but they’re still very manageable and far more rewarding if you want something strategic.
11. GIN RUMMY
Gin Rummy is one of the most popular two-player card games for a reason. And we absolutely love it! It’s simple to learn, but it rewards careful play and attention to what your opponent is doing.
Each player is dealt 10 cards. One card is placed face-up to start the discard pile, and the rest form the draw pile. On your turn, you draw either the top card from the deck or the top card from the discard pile, then discard one card from your hand. The goal is to form melds. That’s either sets of the same rank or runs in the same suit. You should also keep as few unmatched cards (called “deadwood”) as possible.
When you think your hand is strong enough and under 10 points (just count the value of the deadwood in your hand), you can “knock” to end the round. If you manage to form all melds with no deadwood, you “go gin,” which scores 25 bonus points. Players typically play multiple rounds, keeping score until someone reaches an agreed-upon total.
12. STANDARD RUMMY
Standard Rummy is very similar to Gin, but it’s usually more relaxed and forgiving, depending on house rules.
Players are dealt a hand of cards, and a discard pile and draw pile are set up in the middle. On your turn, you draw one card, then discard one card. As you play, you create melds by forming either runs (three or more cards in sequence of the same suit) or sets (three or four cards of the same rank). Once you’ve laid down melds, you’re usually allowed to add cards to melds already on the table.
The first player to get rid of all their cards wins the round.
13. 3-13 RUMMY
I know what you’re thinking… another rummy card game? But trust me. This one’s also worth playing, and probably one of the better two-player rummy card games. 3-13 Rummy is a multi-round rummy game that slowly ramps up in difficulty, which is what makes it so fun.
The game is played over several rounds, and each round has a specific requirement. In the first round, you need to meld three cards. In the second round, four cards. This continues until the final round, which requires you to meld thirteen cards. Each round, players are dealt more cards, and gameplay follows a familiar rummy pattern: draw one card, discard one card, and try to complete the required melds.
If you finish the required melds for the round, you lay them down and try to get rid of your remaining cards. If you don’t, you’re stuck with penalty points. After all rounds are completed, the player with the lowest score wins.
14. SHITHEAD
One of our favorite two-player card games with a standard deck of cards is Shithead, a chaotic but surprisingly strategic card game that works very well with two players.
Each player is dealt three cards face down, three cards face-up on top of those, and a small hand of three cards. Players take turns playing cards onto a central discard pile, usually needing to match or beat the rank of the top card. Certain cards have special effects depending on the version you play, such as resetting the pile or forcing specific plays.
The twist comes at the end: once you run out of cards in your hand and face-up cards, you must play your final three face-down cards blindly. The first player to successfully get rid of all their cards wins, and the last player still holding cards is the “shithead.”
15. GOLF (CARD GAME)
Golf is a low-scoring card game where the goal is to end each round with as few points as possible, just like real golf.
Each player is dealt a small grid of cards, usually four, six, or nine (depending on the variation), placed face down. Players take turns drawing a card from either the deck or the discard pile, then swapping it with one card in their grid or discarding it. Over time, players flip cards and try to improve their layout. Certain matching cards cancel each other out, which helps lower your score.
After the round ends, players then tally their scores, and the game continues for several rounds. The player with the lowest total score at the end wins.
16. CRIBBAGE
Another classic two-player card game you should play is Cribbage.
To play, deal each player six cards and discard two into a shared hand called the “crib.” Players then take turns playing cards one at a time, scoring points along the way for combinations like pairs, runs, and making totals of 15. After all cards are played, players score points again based on the cards in their hand and the starter card.
Cribbage is usually played with a scoring board, and the first player to reach 121 or 61 points wins. While it has more rules than most games on this list, it’s extremely rewarding once you get the hang of it!
17. TRASH
Trash is a surprisingly addictive two-player card game that’s easy to follow once you start playing.
Each player lays out a row or grid of cards face down. Players draw a card and try to place it into its correct position in their layout based on its value. If the card fits, it replaces the card in that position, which is then flipped and played next. If it doesn’t fit, it’s discarded.
The goal is to fill your entire layout in order before your opponent does. Rounds get faster and more competitive once both players understand the rhythm of the game.
18. CASINO (CASSINO)
Want to play a card game that mixes light math with strategy? Try Casino.
To start, deal four cards, and four cards are placed face-up in the middle of the table. On your turn, you play one card from your hand. If the value of that card matches a card on the table, you capture it. You can also capture multiple cards if their values add up to the card you played. For example, playing an 8 lets you capture a 5 and a 3. See how the math comes into play here?
If you can’t make a capture, your card stays on the table. Once everyone runs out of cards, deal four more cards to each player and continue playing until the deck is empty.
Players score points at the end of the round for things like capturing the most cards, collecting the most spades, winning the majority of high-value cards, and clearing the table with a capture (called a “casino”). The player with the highest score wins.
19. EUCHRE (TWO-PLAYER VERSION)
While Euchre is traditionally a four-player trick-taking game, it has solid two-player variants that still capture the core mechanics.
Play this game with a reduced deck by getting rid of cards ranked 9 through Ace. Players then draw and replace cards to build their hands, choose a trump suit, and then take turns playing cards to win tricks. Certain cards are stronger than others due to the trump suit, which adds a layer of strategy.
Players score points based on tricks won, and the game continues until one player reaches the agreed-upon score.
20. PIQUET
Piquet is a classic two-player card game that dates back hundreds of years and is still widely played today! To play this card game for two, use a modified deck of cards ranked 7 through Ace. Then, deal the hands and discard cards to improve them. The goal? Score points for certain combinations before moving on to trick-taking. Each trick you win, and each combination you score, adds to your total! And the player with the higher score wins the round. And whoever wins the most rounds wins the game.
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