Top 25 Coolest Card Games For 2 Players: Grab The Cards And Enjoy Life!

Things are never quite as scary when you’ve got a trusting person by your side… and card games. Nevertheless, we know that the process of finding cool card games for 2 people might be scary. And that’s why we’re here today: to bring to you a list of games you could play, even if you have only one person to play with!

•    The Games: 

1. War;
2. Le Truc;
3. Pinochle;
4. Memory;
5. BlackJack;
6. German Whist;
7. Sixty – Six;
8. Card Golf;
9. Gin Rummy;
10. Old Maid;
11. Cribbage;
12. Durak;
13. Crazy Eights;
14. Hand & Foot;
15. Spit;
16. Slapjack;
17. Trash;
18. Double Solitaire;
19. Kings Corners;
20. Idiot;
21. Egyptian Ratscrew;
22. Drunk Driver;
23. Peanuts;
24. Spite & Malice;
25. UNO;

• Final Thoughts;

1. War

Needed: A full deck of cards, including jokers. 

Pieces of information about ‘War’:

You’re about to start a war, aren’t you? First, shuffle the deck & deal the cards equally to both of you. In the count of three, you flip cards from your deck, and whoever has the highest value takes all cards in the table. If you flip the same value cards, the war starts. What you’ll have to do next is place 3 cards face down on top of that card, then put another card face up & compare them. Joker is the highest, and 2 is the lowest. When a player doesn’t have 3 cards to put on top of the card, they lose the game, and the other player is the winner.   

If interested in more, check this video: How To Play War; 

2. Le Truc

Needed: A deck without cards ranging from 2 to 6.

Pieces of information about ‘Le Truc’:

Le Truc, the game of strategy! To play the game, deal 3 cards to both of you and play one of them. Whoever has the highest rank, takes the trick. The winner of the trick takes the next one. The players may request to raise the point value of the round, for example, from 1 to 2. This is possible only if both players agree. In case one doesn’t, the round ends. If the round’s point value hasn’t been raised, by default it is 1 point. Winning is simple: the first player to earn 12 points wins.

3. Pinochle

Needed: 2 cards of each suit for values: Ace, 10, King, Queen, Jack, 9.

Pieces of information about the ‘Pinochle’ card game:

Well, keep in mind that Ace is the highest and nine is the lowest, just as in the order shown above. Lay down the draw pile, and turn the top card over. Check your hand pile to see if you have any melds. Then, you could start tricks. The player who had the highest bid starts by playing a card. The other player should play a card as well. Whoever has the most valuable card, wins the trick. Once you complete winning 12 tricks, count the value of cards of both of the players and declare the winner. 

Important – The value of some mids:

• Flushes (A, 10, K, Q, J, 9: trump suit) – 150 points;
• Royal Marriage (K, Q: trump suit) – 40;
• Marriage (K, Q: other suits) – 20;
• Pinochle (Q♠, J♦) – 40;

Here’s a video to explain the details: How To Play Pinochle Card Game.

4. Memory

Needed: A full deck of cards.

Pieces of information about the ’BlackJack’ card game:

To play BlackJack, first, one of you becomes the dealer and gives the other player 2 cards. Next, check the face values of each card. If it’s much less than 21, you may ‘hit’, and get another card. If it’s close to 21, you ‘stand’. When you calculate the sum of cards (card combinations are important too), the person who is closest to 21 wins that hand and gets all the cards of that round. The game ends when there are no more cards in the draw pile. You may also include bidding, and play it as a Poker card game.

If you want to dive into more information, check this video: How To Play BlackJack.

6. German Whist

Needed: A standard deck of cards;

Pieces of information about the ‘German Whist’ card game:

Fellas, start by dealing 13 of them to both of you. The undealt cards stay in the draw pile. Then, turn the top card over (it determines the trump suit) & start playing tricks. The first player to start a trick may play any card. The second one should play the same suit if they have one. When the suits are the same, the highest value of cards wins the trick. When there are no cards left in the stock, you compete for the majority of the tricks. Whoever wins this majority, wins the game! 

Since there are many more details, this video will help you figure them all out: How To Play German Whist!

7. Sixty-Six

Needed: A deck of cards only including Aces, 10s, Kings, Queens, Jacks & 9s.

Pieces of information about ‘Sixty-Six’: 

Here’s a trick-taking game! Deal 6 cards to both of you. After you deal 12 cards, lay the 13th in the center of the table, and the pile on top of it. Players draw cards from the draw pile, and whoever has the highest-ranking trump card wins the trick. Once the draw pile runs out of cards, both of the players have to play cards from their hands. The player who earns 66 points, wins the game. Some special actions can be played:

Important – The worth of special plays:

• Marriage in trumps – 40 points;
• Marriage in any other suit – 20;
• Ace (on tricks) – 11;
• Tens (on tricks) – 10;
• Kings (on tricks) – 4;
• Queens (on tricks) – 3;
• Jacks (on tricks) – 2

Since you’re curious to know more, check out this YouTube video: How To Play 66!

8. Card Golf

Needed: A full deck of cards.

Pieces of information about ‘Card Golf’: 

To play golf without a ball, deal 6 cards to both of you. Place the remaining cards in the center of the table, facedown, and turn the top card over. Next, organize your cards in front of you on a 3 x 2 grid. Then, turn 2 of your cards over, and draw a card from the draw or discard pile. You may exchange that card with any of your 6 cards. The card that gets exchanged, should be placed in the discard pile. The game continues until one of you gets all their cards face-up. This is when scoring the points starts. The ‘golfer’ with the lowest score wins, just as in golf!    

Important – The worth of cards & combinations:

• Two same cards in the same column – 0 points;
• Aces – 1 point;
• Twos – Minus 2 points;
• Threes to Tens – Points depending on their face value;
• Kings – 0 points;
• Queens & Jacks – 10 points;

For more details on the gameplay, here’s an amazing video: How To Play Golf (6 Cards)!

9. Gin Rummy

Needed: A deck of classic cards.

Pieces of information about ‘Gin Rummy’:

The name seems like a drinking card game for 2, but no, it isn’t. To start, deal 10 cards to both of you. Turn the top card from the draw pile over to create the discard pile. Draw one card from one of the piles, and discard another card from your hand. Your goal should be creating a set of cards that are in the same rank, either meld, meaning, runs in the same suit. There are two ways of ending the game: knocking (ending the game if your unmatched cards add up to 10) and going gin (if all of your cards are part of melds). Play for some rounds, until one of you reaches 100 points or more. 

To understand better about knocking and going gin, check How To Play Gin Rummy!

10. Old Maid

Needed: A deck of cards including Jokers. 

Pieces of information about ‘Old Maid’:

To play Old Maid (which is also a cool card game for 3 people) shuffle the deck, and deal the cards equally to both of you. All the pairs you have in your hand should be discarded in front of you. The other player can not see your single cards. Next, both of you take turns taking one card from your opponent, without seeing it. The game continues until all your cards have paired up, except one: the Joker! Whoever has the Joker, becomes the old maid and loses!

11. Cribbage

Needed: A deck of classic cards & a cribbage board.

Pieces of information about ‘Cribbage’:

Cribbage is a card game that starts with each player getting dealt 6 cards, and placing the remaining deck on the side of the board. Starting with the dealer, players expose cards, one card at a time. After you play, you have to announce the running total, keeping in mind that you cannot go beyond 31. If you can’t play a card without extending 31, you must say ‘Go’ and the other player pegs one. The goal of Cribbage is to reach 121 points, while also using card combinations.

The game can be a bit complicated, so, here’s a YouTube video to help you out: How To Play Cribbage.

12. Durak

Needed: Cards from value 6 or higher from the full deck.

Pieces of information about the ‘Durak’ card game:

Each of you is dealt 6 cards. The other cards stay in the draw pile. The top card of the draw pile should be turned face-up and it represents the trump suit. Next, one of you starts by playing a card from your hand, usually the lowest. This is how you attack the other player. Now, they can play a higher or any card from the same suit. When your opponent beats your cards in play, these cards together get moved to the graveyard pile. The point is to get rid of cards. The player who remains with cards becomes the Durak! 

Check this video for more: How To Play Durak! 

13. Crazy Eights

Needed: A full deck of cards.

Pieces of information about ‘Crazy Eights’: 

Well, eights have become crazy! First, deal 5 cards to both of you, and you already know where the other cards belong. You may look at your cards, but not at your opponent’s. On your turn you should play a card from your hand into the discard pile, but only if it matches the suit of the top card or the rank. There’s a special action: If you have an 8, you may use it as a wild card. During the game, if you don’t have the cards you need, you draw cards from the pile until you can play. Continue playing until someone reaches 100 points. The player with the lowest score wins. 

14. Hand & Foot

Needed: 2 decks of standard cards.

Pieces of information about ‘Hand & Foot’:

Shuffle the decks, and deal 11 cards to both of you. You may look at your cards, and place them face-up in front of you. These are your hand cards. Next, deal 11 cards to both of you once again. Place them face-down next to the hand cards, and these are your foot cards.  Leave the remaining cards in the stockpile, turning the top card over. Next, both of you try to get rid of all your cards, and this is possible by playing melds. You can use wild cards as well: Jokers and twos! The winner gets chosen depending on who has more points.

Important – The worth of cards:

• Aces & 2 – 20 points;
• 3 to 7 – 5 points;
• 8 to Kings – 10 points;
• Jokers – 50 points;

Hand & Foot is not complicated at all. If you don’t think so, watch this: How To Play Hand And Foot!

15. Spit

Needed: A classic deck of cards;

Pieces of information about ‘Spit’:

Deal all the cards equally to both of you & lay 5 cards from your hand in front of you. At the second card add another card, at the third card add two more cards, and so on. Flip the top card of each column over. The remaining cards stay next to you, making the spit cards! Next, turn your split deck’s top card over and place it in the middle of the table, so, now you’ve created the spit piles. Next, you may move any of your stockpile top cards to any of the two spit cards, only if your card is one higher or lower. The first player who runs out of cards is the winner of the game. 

To simply explain the gameplay, here’s a good video: How to play Spit.

16. Slapjack

Needed: A 52-card deck.

Pieces of information about ‘Slapjack’: 

Slap that Jack! Firstly, deal all cards equally to both of you, one card at a time. You can not look at your cards. Instead, hold them face down in front of you. You take turns taking the top card out of your pile, placing it face-up in the middle of the table, without looking at it. You continue doing this until a Jack shows up.  When that happens, both of you should slap Jack, in other words. The first player to do so collects the whole pile on the table. Remember, you should add them to your hand. If you slap and the card isn’t a jack, give the top card to the other player. Whoever collects all the 52 cards first, wins!

It is quite simple, but if you need more details, watch How To Play Slapjack! 

17. Trash

Needed: A full deck of cards.

Pieces of information about ‘Trash’:

The name may be, but the game is the opposite of trash! Both of you are dealt 10 cards face down. Next, what you’ll need to do is arrange the 10 cards in two horizontal lines. The remaining cards should be placed in the center of the table, with the top card flipped over. Then, draw a card from the draw pile, and based on their face worth, you place it at any of the spots in your rows. The first card is ace, and the last one is ten. So, for example, when you draw a 9, you should place it in the 9th spot on the table. Whoever completes all the 10 spots & shouts ‘Trash’, wins!

If you wanna see the gameplay, here’s a cool video: How To Play Trash.

18. Double Solitaire

Needed: 2 full decks of cards.

Pieces of information about ‘Double Solitaire’: 

Let’s welcome the solitaire version for two players! This time, you’ll both need your deck of cards. Make 7 columns of cards in front of you, without looking at the cards. The first column should have 1 card, the second should have 2 cards, and so on. Flip the top card of each column over. Next, you may move cards from one column to another, only if the card you’re moving is one lower than the other card & if these 2 cards have different colors. You may create your foundation pile, starting with an Ace and ending with a King, in the same suit. The game ends when any of you two completes all their foundation piles. 

Here’s a video to explain Double Solitaire once again: How To Play Double Solitaire. 

19. Kings Corners

Needed: A deck of standard cards.

Pieces of information about ‘Kings Corners’: 

Foremost, this is pretty similar to Solitaire. Start by dealing 7 cards to both of you and place the other cards in the middle of the table, face-down. Take turns and turn over the top card of the pile, and place it in front of you. Next, play cards from your hand into your column or your opponent’s. You may play cards that are one number lower than the previous card and different colors. If you have a King, you should place it in the corners of the piles. You can merge the piles until you create this order: Kings to Aces. The first player to run out of cards wins!  

Here’s a cool video explaining this card game: How To Play Kings Corner!

20. Idiot

Needed: A full deck of cards. 

Pieces of information about ‘Idiot’:

Idiot (often called Palace), starts with dealing 3 cards to both of you, face down, and then 3 more cards on top, but this time, face-up! Deal 3 more cards, which create the hand pile of each player. All the remaining cards make the stockpile. Before you start the game, you’re allowed to swap any of your hand cards with the piles’ cards. You have to match or beat any of the cards in the draw pile, depending on their rank. Once all your hand cards – and the draw pile as well are gone, you have to play with cards from your pile. Your goal should be to run out of cards first, and this is how you win IDIOT!

Of course, we’ve found a video for this game too! Watch it: How to Play the Palace! 

21. Egyptian Ratscrew

Needed: A full deck of cards.

Pieces of information about ‘Egyptian Ratscrew’:

It’s an Egyptian ratscrew! Deal the cards equally to both of you, facedown. Taking turns, you start by turning the top card of your pile over and placing it in the center of the table. If it’s a number card, you simply continue the round. If it’s a card from the Court (King, Queen, or Jack) or an Ace, the other player should necessarily play one of these 4 cards too. The number of chances for each card depends. You may also collect the pile if you slap the pile for specific combinations. The game continues until one of you collects all the cards. 

For everyone who needs extra details, watch this: How to play Egyptian Ratscrew.

22. Drunk Driver

Needed: A deck of cards & drinks. 

Pieces of information about ‘Drunk Driver’:

We couldn’t finish this list without mentioning a drinking card game, such as Drunk Driver! One player is the dealer, which deals 6 cards, face-down to the table, and the other player is the driver. The driver has to turn over cards and drinks for specific ones. If it’s a number card (from 2 to 10), the driver’s safe. However, if it’s an Ace, the dealer adds 4 cards to the table, and the driver takes 4 drinks. Such rules are applied to cards of the Court too, but with different numbers of drinks & cards. You might find the full meticulous details here.

23. Peanuts

Needed: 2 decks of cards (1 per player), with different back designs.

Pieces of information about ‘Peanuts’:

When playing Peanuts (or Nerts), players set up their cards in a pile of 13 face-down cards (called the peanuts pile), a row of 4 faceup cards, and the remaining deck. There must be foundation piles in the middle of the table, representing all 4 suits, which can be played by both players. However, both players have to build their own piles, following the rank of cards. Once in a while, every third card from the remaining decks, and can be played to the foundation piles, or building piles. Once one of you has played all the cards from the peanuts pile, they announce ‘Peanuts’! 

24. Spite & Malice

Needed: Two 52-card decks.

Pieces of information about ‘Spite & Malice’:

Spite & Malice starts with dealing 20 cards to both players, face-down. The remaining cards make the draw pile. The top card of each player’s pile is turned over. The first player starts by drawing 5 cards from the draw pile, and starting foundation piles, either with an Ace or a King (which is a wild card). One turn ends with a card discarded into the discard pile of each player. On their turn, players must draw cards, until they reach 5 cards in their hands. Up to 4 foundation piles can get started. Whoever runs out of cards from their pile first, wins!

25. UNO

Needed: A deck of UNO cards.

Pieces of information about ‘UNO’:

Although this is not played with a standard deck of cards, UNO is always a blast. Deal 7 cards to both of you and place the remaining deck in the center of the table. Turn the top card over, which creates the discard pile. On your turn, you may play a card from your hand, only if it matches the color or the value. However, bear in mind that there are special cards as well (such as Draw 2, Skip, Wild, and more), which most of the time are punishments to your opponent. Whenever you’re left with 1 card, you must yell ‘UNO’. Ps. If you want to double the fun, make sure to try the Drunk UNO.

Final Thoughts

You all may assume how much fun they bring, even without playing them. It is important for you to know that these are NOT the only card games for 2 people. Our experts, after lots of research, made sure that there are no games with very similar rules, games that aren’t understandable, or ones that require extra equipment, so, whatever you choose, you’ll be happy! Don’t let anyone stop the fun, you lovely people!