Looking for a good card game for two? Some of the best card games ever invented were designed for exactly two players, and many group games have two-handed versions that work just as well. Whether you want a relaxed game with a partner after dinner, a fast race against a friend or a card game for 2 adults that rewards real skill, this list has you covered with one standard deck in almost every case.
Each game lists what you need and how to play, with links to full rules where we have them. Keep a running total across the evening with our scoreboard.
Classic strategy card games for two
Gin Rummy
Players: 2. You need: A standard 52-card deck.
Deal ten cards each and turn one face up to start the discard pile. Draw and discard to build sets and runs. Knock when your unmatched cards total 10 or less, or go gin with none for a bonus. Play to 100 points. See the full gin rummy rules.
Cribbage
Players: 2. You need: A standard deck and a cribbage board.
Deal six cards each and both players discard two to the dealer's crib. Play cards alternately toward a count of 31, pegging points for fifteens, pairs and runs, then count your hand and the crib. First to 121 wins. See the full cribbage rules.
Casino
Players: 2 (3 or 4 possible). You need: A standard 52-card deck.
Deal four cards to each player and four face up to the table. Use a card from your hand to capture table cards of the same rank or that add up to its value, or build combinations to capture later. Points go for most cards, most spades, aces, the ten of diamonds and the two of spades. See the full casino card game rules.
Two-Handed Pinochle
Players: 2. You need: A 48-card pinochle deck.
Deal 12 cards each. Win a trick to earn the right to declare a meld, then draw from the stock. Once the stock runs out, the last 12 tricks are played with strict rules about following suit. Melds and counting cards both score. See the full pinochle rules.
Sixty-Six
Players: 2. You need: A 24-card deck, nine through ace.
Deal six cards each and turn up a trump card. Win tricks to collect card points, and declare a king and queen of the same suit for a marriage bonus. The first player to reach 66 card points wins the deal. See the full 66 card game rules.
Rummy
Players: 2. You need: A standard 52-card deck.
Deal ten cards each in the two-player game. Draw from the stock or discard pile, lay down sets and runs, and add to melds on the table. The first to go out scores the cards left in the other player's hand. See the full rummy rules.
Indian Rummy for Two
Players: 2. You need: Two standard decks with jokers.
Deal 13 cards each and pick a wild joker. Build sequences and sets, with at least two sequences, one of them pure. Declare when all 13 cards are arranged, and the loser counts unmatched points. See the full indian rummy rules.
Two-Handed Canasta
Players: 2. You need: Two standard decks plus four jokers.
Deal 15 cards each. In the common two-player version, you draw two cards and discard one each turn, and need two canastas to go out. It plays longer than most two player games and is great for a rainy afternoon. See the full canasta rules.
Two-Handed Spades
Players: 2. You need: A standard 52-card deck.
Players take turns drawing from the stock: keep the card and discard the next one face down, or discard the first and keep the second. When each has 13 cards, bid and play tricks with spades as trump. See the full spades rules.
Fast and fun card games for 2 people
Speed
Players: 2. You need: A standard 52-card deck.
Both players play at the same time, putting cards one higher or one lower onto two center piles. When neither can play, both flip a new center card. The first player to run out of cards wins. See the full speed card game rules.
Spit
Players: 2. You need: A standard 52-card deck.
Each player sets out five solitaire-style stockpiles and races to play cards onto two center piles in sequence. When both are stuck, both players shout "spit" and flip a new center card. The player who slaps the smaller center pile at the end takes it. See the full spit card game rules.
War
Players: 2. You need: A standard 52-card deck.
Split the deck and flip cards at the same time. The higher card takes both, and ties trigger a war with one face-down card (three in a popular variation) and one face up. Win every card to win the game. It is perfect for playing with kids. See the full war card game rules.
Slapjack
Players: 2 or more. You need: A standard 52-card deck.
Take turns flipping cards into a center pile, and race to slap every jack. The first hand on the jack wins the pile. See the full slapjack rules.
Crazy Eights
Players: 2 or more. You need: A standard 52-card deck.
Deal seven cards each for two players. Match the top discard by suit or rank, and use eights as wild cards to change the suit. First to empty their hand wins. See the full crazy eights rules.
Go Fish
Players: 2 or more. You need: A standard 52-card deck.
Deal seven cards each and ask your opponent for ranks you hold. If they have none, go fish from the pile. Collect sets of four, and the most sets wins. See the full go fish rules.
Golf
Players: 2 or more. You need: A standard 52-card deck.
Lay out six face-down cards each and flip two. Draw and swap to lower your score, using matching pairs in a column to cancel out. The lowest total after nine holes wins. See the full golf card game rules.
Kings Corner
Players: 2 or more. You need: A standard 52-card deck.
Deal seven cards each and lay out four cards around the deck. Build down in alternating colors, put kings in the corners and be the first to empty your hand. See the full kings corner rules.
Palace
Players: 2 or more. You need: A standard 52-card deck.
Each player has three face-down cards, three face-up cards on top of them and a hand of three. Play equal or higher cards onto the pile, with special cards such as twos and tens resetting or clearing it. The first player out of all cards wins. See the full palace card game rules.
Trash
Players: 2. You need: A standard 52-card deck.
Lay out ten face-down cards each as spots for ace to ten. Draw and place cards in their matching spots, flipping the card underneath to keep going. First to fill all ten spots wins the round. See the full trash card game rules.
Concentration
Players: 2. You need: A standard 52-card deck.
Lay all cards face down. Flip two per turn and keep pairs of the same rank, going again after a match. The player with more pairs wins. It is a good quiet game for two at any age.
How to choose a card game for two
| Mood | Try |
|---|---|
| Relaxed evening for 2 adults | Gin Rummy, Cribbage, Rummy, Canasta |
| Fast and competitive | Speed, Spit, Slapjack |
| Trick-taking | Sixty-Six, Two-Handed Pinochle, Two-Handed Spades |
| Playing with a child | War, Go Fish, Crazy Eights, Concentration |
- Play a match, not a hand. Most two player games are best as a race to a target score, such as 100 in gin or 121 in cribbage.
- Alternate the deal. In games where the dealer has an edge, like cribbage, swap the deal every hand.
- Try a group game in two-handed form. Spades, canasta and pinochle all have well established two player rules.
For more ideas, see our full card games for adults list.
Questions people ask
What is the best card game for two people?
Gin Rummy and Cribbage are widely considered the best card games for two people. Both are easy to learn, use a standard deck and reward skill over many hands. Speed is the best choice if you want something fast.
What card games can 2 adults play?
Gin Rummy, Cribbage, Casino, Sixty-Six, two-handed Pinochle and two-handed Canasta are excellent for two adults. They offer plenty of strategy, and a match can last a whole evening.
How do you play rummy with 2 players?
Deal ten cards each, turn one card face up to start the discard pile and place the rest as the stock. Draw one card each turn from either pile, meld sets and runs, then discard one. The first to meld all their cards wins and scores the other player's remaining cards. In Indian rummy, deal 13 cards each instead.
What is a fast card game for 2 players?
Speed and Spit are the fastest card games for two players, since both players play at the same time with no turns. Slapjack and War are also quick and are great with kids.
Can you play spades with two players?
Yes. In two-handed spades, players draw from the stock one card at a time, keeping one card and discarding the next, until each has 13 cards. Then you bid and play tricks with spades as trump, just like the four player game.