You do not need a crowd for a good card game. With one standard 52-card deck and one other person, you can play anything from a 3-minute slapping frenzy to a strategy game you will still be getting better at in ten years. Here are 20 of the best card games for 2 people, grouped by style, with what makes each one fun and how it works.
Best card games for 2 people at a glance
| Game | Style | Ages | Time | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Speed | Fast | 7+ | 5 min | Easy |
| Spit | Fast | 8+ | 10 min | Easy |
| Egyptian Ratscrew | Fast, slapping | 7+ | 10-20 min | Easy |
| Slapjack | Fast, slapping | 4+ | 5-10 min | Very easy |
| War | Pure luck | 4+ | 10-30 min | Very easy |
| Go Fish | Kids | 4+ | 10 min | Very easy |
| Crazy Eights | Kids & family | 6+ | 10 min | Easy |
| Concentration | Kids, memory | 4+ | 10 min | Very easy |
| Trash (Garbage) | Kids & family | 6+ | 10 min | Easy |
| Kings in the Corner | Family | 6+ | 15 min | Easy |
| Golf | Family | 8+ | 15 min | Easy |
| Palace | Family | 8+ | 15 min | Easy |
| Gin Rummy | Strategy | 10+ | 20-40 min | Medium |
| Rummy 500 | Strategy | 10+ | 30-60 min | Medium |
| Casino | Strategy | 9+ | 20 min | Medium |
| German Whist | Strategy | 10+ | 20 min | Medium |
| Two-Player Spades | Strategy | 10+ | 30 min | Medium |
| Cribbage | Strategy | 10+ | 30 min | Medium-hard |
| Spite and Malice | Strategy | 9+ | 30 min | Medium (two decks) |
| Blackjack | Casino style | 8+ | Any | Easy |
Fast card games for two
These are all about reflexes. Expect noise, laughing and the occasional scraped knuckle.
1. Speed
Each player gets a 15-card draw pile and a 5-card hand. Two cards go face up in the middle, with two small side piles of 5 cards next to them. On “go,” both players play at the same time onto either center pile, using any card one rank higher or lower than the top card, regardless of suit (a 7 can go on a 6 or an 8). Refill your hand to five from your draw pile as you play. When both players are stuck, flip new center cards from the side piles. First to get rid of all their cards wins. Our full guide to Speed is coming soon.
2. Spit
A close cousin of Speed. Each player deals their half of the deck into five face-up stockpiles, solitaire style, with the rest as a “spit” pile. Both players flip a spit card into the middle at the same moment, then race to play cards one higher or lower onto either center pile. When nobody can play, both spit again. When a player clears their stockpiles, they slap the smaller center pile, and the round continues until someone has no cards left.
3. Egyptian Ratscrew
Deal the whole deck between you. Take turns flipping your top card onto a center pile. When a face card or ace appears, the other player has a set number of chances to play a face card or ace of their own (one for a jack, two for a queen, three for a king, four for an ace); if they fail, the first player wins the pile. Anyone can slap the pile when two cards of the same rank land in a row (doubles) or with one card between them (a sandwich), and the first hand down takes it all. Collect every card to win.
4. Slapjack
The simplest slapping game. Deal the deck between you, take turns flipping cards into the middle, and the first person to slap a jack wins the pile. Slap anything else and you give a card to your opponent. Perfect for little kids.
5. War
Split the deck, flip your top cards at the same time, and the higher card takes both. When the cards tie, it is war: each player puts three cards face down and one face up, and the higher face-up card wins everything. There are no decisions at all, which is exactly why young kids love it. Set a timer, because a full game can run long.
Easy card games for two (great with kids)
6. Go Fish
Deal 7 cards each and spread the rest face down as the “pond.” On your turn, ask your opponent for a rank you already hold (“Do you have any 5s?”). If they do, they hand them over and you go again; if not, they say “Go fish” and you draw. Collect sets of four (books). Most books wins.
7. Crazy Eights
Deal 7 cards each (with two players) and flip one card to start the discard pile. Play a card that matches the top card’s suit or rank. Eights are wild: play one anytime and name the next suit. If you cannot play, draw until you can. First to empty their hand wins.
8. Concentration (Memory)
Lay the whole deck face down in a grid. Take turns flipping two cards; if they match in rank, keep them and go again; if not, turn them back over. Most pairs wins. Use only half the deck for younger kids.
9. Trash (Garbage)
Each player lays out 10 cards face down in two rows of five, representing spots ace through 10. Draw a card: if it is a number you need, place it in its spot and pick up the card that was there to continue. Jacks are usually wild, while queens and kings end your turn. First to fill all ten spots face up wins the round, and starts the next round with one fewer spot.
10. Kings in the Corner
A solitaire-style game for two to four. Players build descending piles in alternating colors around a cross layout, play kings into the corners, and race to empty their hands. Read our full guide: how to play Kings in the Corner.
11. Golf (Six-Card Golf)
Each player lays six cards face down in two rows of three and flips any two. On your turn, draw from the stock or the discard pile and swap it with one of your cards, or discard it. When all of one player’s cards are face up, everyone else gets one last turn. Low score wins: aces are 1, number cards are face value, jacks and queens are 10, kings are 0, and a matching pair in a column cancels out.
12. Palace
Each player gets three face-down cards, three face-up cards on top of them, and three cards in hand. Play a card equal to or higher than the top of the pile, or pick the whole pile up. Twos reset the pile and tens burn it. Once your hand is empty, play from your face-up cards, then blindly from your face-down cards. First player out wins. House rules vary, so agree on special cards before you start.
Strategy card games for two
These reward practice and are perfect for couples, roommates and grandparents.
13. Gin Rummy
The classic two-player card game. Deal 10 cards each. On your turn, draw from the stock or discard pile, then discard. Build sets (three or four of a kind) and runs (three or more cards in sequence in the same suit). When your unmatched cards (deadwood) total 10 points or fewer, you can knock to end the hand; with zero deadwood you have “gin” and earn a bonus, usually 25 points. First to 100 points wins.
14. Rummy 500
With two players, deal 13 cards each. The discard pile is spread out so all cards are visible, and you may take any card from it, as long as you take every card above it and use the chosen card in a meld right away. You score points for every card you meld and lose points for cards stuck in your hand. First to 500 wins. See our guide to how to play rummy.
15. Casino
Deal four cards to each player and four face up on the table. On your turn, play one card to capture table cards of the same rank, or cards that add up to its value, or build combinations to capture next turn. After each deal, points go to the player with the most cards, the most spades, the 10 of diamonds (big casino), the 2 of spades (little casino), each ace and each sweep (clearing the table).
16. German Whist
A clever trick-taking game for exactly two. Deal 13 cards each and turn up the top stock card; its suit is trump. In the first half, the winner of each trick takes the face-up card and the loser takes the next card face down, so you are fighting to build a strong hand. Once the stock runs out, play the last 13 tricks for real. Most tricks in the second half wins.
17. Two-Player Spades
Spades normally needs four, but this version works beautifully for two. Instead of dealing, take turns drawing: look at the top card and either keep it and discard the next one unseen, or discard it and keep the next one. Once the stock is gone, each player has 13 cards. Bid and play as in regular Spades, with spades always trump. Full rules for all player counts are in our Spades guide.
18. Cribbage
Deal six cards each and both players discard two into the “crib.” Players then take turns playing cards toward a running total of 31, scoring for fifteens, pairs and runs, before counting their hands. First to 121 points wins. A cribbage board makes scoring easy, but pen and paper works too.
19. Spite and Malice
A competitive patience game for two using two standard decks. Each player has a payoff pile and tries to get rid of it by building center piles from ace up to queen, with kings wild. You can hold up to four discard piles to set up future plays, which is where the spite comes in: you will often hold a card your opponent desperately needs.
20. Blackjack
One player deals, the other tries to get closer to 21 than the dealer without going over. Swap dealer every few hands and keep score with chips, coins or candy. Simple, quick and good for teaching addition.
How to pick the right two-player card game
- Want something fast and loud? Speed, Spit or Egyptian Ratscrew.
- Playing with a child under 7? Slapjack, War, Go Fish or Concentration.
- Family night with mixed ages? Crazy Eights, Kings in the Corner or Golf.
- Want a game you will play for years? Gin Rummy, Cribbage or German Whist.
- Only have 10 minutes? Speed, Slapjack or a few hands of Golf.
If you have more than two players, see our guide to family game night ideas, or try Spoons for a big group.
Card games for 2 people FAQ
What is the best card game for 2 people?
Gin Rummy is the classic answer for adults because it is easy to learn and rewards skill. For pure fun, Speed is hard to beat, and for kids, Crazy Eights and Go Fish are the easiest starting points.
What card games can 2 people play with one deck?
Every game on this list except Spite and Malice uses one standard 52-card deck: Speed, Spit, Egyptian Ratscrew, Slapjack, War, Go Fish, Crazy Eights, Concentration, Trash, Kings in the Corner, Golf, Palace, Gin Rummy, Rummy 500, Casino, German Whist, Two-Player Spades, Cribbage and Blackjack.
What is the easiest card game for 2 players?
War and Slapjack have almost no rules, so even 4-year-olds can play. Go Fish is the next step up.
Can you play Spades with 2 people?
Yes. Instead of dealing, players take turns drawing and keeping or discarding cards until each has 13, then bid and play as usual.
What are good card games for couples?
Gin Rummy, Cribbage, German Whist and Speed are favorites for couples: the first three for slow evenings, Speed when you want some friendly chaos.
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