Card Games for Two Players

This is a list of traditional card and tile games that are designed for or work well with two players. Each game is listed just once - for alternative names see the general alphabetical index. For each game the configuration of players and the type and number of cards or tiles is listed. There is an explanation of the symbols below the table.

Game	Quantity	Configuration
Agram	31, 35	individual
All Fives cards	52	individual
All Fives dominoes	28	individual
All Fours 17th Century	52	individual
All Fours North American	52	individual
All Threes Dominoes	28	individual
Arlington	2x52	individual
Auction Draw Dominoes	28	individual
Austrian Dominoes	36	individual
Baccarat	6x52	banker
Badugi	52	individual
Bartok	52	individual
Basra	52	individual
Beggar My Neighbour	52	individual
Belote Découverte	32	individual
Bergen	28	individual
Bezique	2x32	individual
Bingo dominoes	28	individual
Blackjack 21	6x52	banker
Blind Don	52	individual
Blind Hughie Dominoes	28	individual
Block Dominoes	28	individual
Block Dominoes with Spinners	28	individual
Bonanza Pai Gow	32	banker
Brisca	40	individual
Briscola	32, 40	individual
Briscola Scoperta	40	individual
Briscolone	40	individual
Bura	32, 36	individual
Camicia	40	individual
Caribbean Poker	52	banker
Carioca	2x52+4J	individual
Carousel	52+J	individual
Casino	52	individual
Casino Dominican	52	individual
Casino Sotho	52	individual
Casino South African	40	individual
Casino Swazi	52	individual
Casino Hold'em Poker	52	banker
Casita Robada	40, 48	individual
Chicago Swedish	52	individual
Chinese Ten	52	individual
Chiva	28	individual
Clobyosh	32	individual
Concentration Dominoes	28	individual
Conquian	40	individual
Costly Colours	52	individual
Courchevel poker	52	individual
Crazy Eights	52	individual
Crazy Pineapple Poker	52	individual
Crazy Pineapple Hi-Lo Poker	52	individual
Cribbage five-card	52	individual
Cribbage six-card	52	individual
Cricket	52	individual
Cuarenta	52	individual
Cucumber	52, 52+2J	individual
Cut Throat Dominoes Jamaican	28	individual
Cuttle	52	individual
Domino Cribbage	28	individual
Domino Loo	28	individual
Domino Poker	20	individual
Domino Rounce	28	individual
Domino Twenty-One	28	banker
Double Bergen	28	individual
Double Briškula	32	individual
Double Draw Dominoes	28	individual
Double Solitaire	2x52	individual
Draw Dominoes	28	individual
Durak Podkidnoy	36	individual
Écarté	32	individual
Egyptian Ratscrew	52	individual
Eléwénjewé	52, 52+2J	individual
Empat Satu 41	52	individual
Escoba	40	individual
Fapfap	35	individual
Faro	52	banker
Ferbli	32	individual
Fives and Threes Dominoes	28	individual
Flower & Scorpion	28	individual
Fortune Rummy	2x52	individual
Freeze Out Dominoes	28	individual
Générala	52+2J	individual
German Whist	52	individual
Gin Rummy	52	individual
Gnav	42	individual
Go Stop	48+5J	individual
Golf	52	individual
Golf Eight Card	52, 52+2J	individual
Golf Four Card	52	individual
Golf Nine Card	52, 52+2J	individual
Golf Six Card	52, 52+2J	individual
GOPS	39	individual
Guadalupe	2x52	individual
Guiñote	40	individual
Hockey	52	individual
Hola	52	individual
Hoola	52	individual
Horse Race Dominoes	28	individual
Humbug	52	individual
Hungarian Dominoes	28	individual
Irish Poker	52	individual
Italian Dominoes	28	individual
Jacks Back (5 Card Draw) Poker	52, 52+J	individual
James Bond	52	individual
Jeu de Carte Sipa	31	individual
Jhyap	52, 52+2J	individual
K'ap Shap	32	individual
K'ap Tái Shap	8x32	individual
Kaluki European / North American	2x52+2J	individual
Kapaga	52+2J	individual
Kasino Finnish	52	individual
Kasino Swedish	52	individual
Knock-Out Whist	52	individual
Kozel	32, 36	individual
Krypkasino	2x52	individual
Kryt'-navalivat'	36	individual
Last One	52+2J	individual
Let It Ride	52	banker
Leyden	28	individual
Loba Argentina	2x52+4J	individual
Loba de Mas	2x52+4J	individual
Loba de Menos	2x52+4J	individual
Machiavelli	2x52	individual
Main Merah	52	individual
Maltese Cross	28	individual
Marjolet	32	individual
Marriage Rummy	3x52	individual
Matador	28	individual
Maw	52	individual
Mille	2x52	individual
Mitaines	52	individual
Muggins Dominoes	28	individual
Mustamaija	52	individual
Ninety-Eight	52, 52+2J	individual
Noddy	52	individual
Ogórek Cucumber	52	individual
Omaha Poker	52	individual
Omaha Hi-Lo Eight or Better Poker	52	individual
Omaha High Poker	52	individual
Omben	52	individual
One-Eyed Jack	2x52, 2x52+4J	individual
Open Face Chinese Poker	52	individual
P'yanitsa Drunkard	36	individual
Page One	52+J	individual
Pai Gow 牌九	32	banker
Pai Gow Poker	52+J	banker
Passing Dominoes	28	individual
Pâsur	52	individual
Pelmanism	52	individual
Penneech	52	individual
Pineapple Poker	52	individual
Pineapple OFCP	52	individual
Pinochle Two Player	2x24	individual
Piquet	32	individual
Pishe Pasha	52	individual
Pitty Pat	52	individual
Porrazo	52	individual
Prostoy Durak	36	individual
Put	52	individual
Racing Demon	2x52	individual
Railroad Canasta	4x52+8J	individual
Ramsli	32	individual
Război	52	individual
Red Frog Black Frog	52	individual
Remi Indonesia	52	individual
Ronda	40	individual
Royal Casino	52	individual
Rubamazzo	40	individual
Rummikub ®	2x52+2J	individual
Rummy basic	52	individual
Rummy Indian	2x52+2J	individual
Rummy 500	52, 52+2J	individual
Russian Bank	2x52	individual
Russian Poker	52	banker
Scala Quaranta	2x52+4J	individual
Schnapsen	20	individual
Sechsundsechzig	24	individual
Sedma	32	individual
Sedma osmová	32	individual
Sedmice	32	individual
Seven Bridge	52	individual
Seven Card Draw Poker	52	individual
Seven-Toed Pete Dominoes	28	individual
Sevens Dominoes	28	individual
Sì Sè Pái 四色牌	112	individual
Simultaneous Solitaire	2x52	individual
Sink-Sink	35	individual
Sipa Togo	31, 32	individual
Siwweschrööm	32	individual
Slabberjan	42	individual
Smear	52	individual
Snap	52	individual
Sniff	28	individual
Spar	35, 36	individual
Speed	52	individual
Spit	52	individual
Spite and Malice	2x52	individual
Spizzichino	40	individual
Steal War	52+2J	individual
Stealing Bundles	52	individual
Stortok	36	individual
Strip Poker	52	individual
Svoi Kozyri Besikovich	36	individual
Table Top Cribbage	52	individual
Tablić	40, 52	individual
Tahiti	2x52+4J	individual
Texas Hold'em Poker	52	individual
Three Card Monte	3	banker
Three Card Poker	52	banker
Three-Thirteen Rummy	52, 52+2J	individual
Tile Rummy Romanian	2x52+2J	individual
Tiu-U 釣魚	2x32	individual
Tod und Leben Life and Death	32	individual
Tonk	52	individual
Top Trumps	48	individual
Tournament Blackjack	52, 6x52	banker
Truc France	32	individual
Truco		individual
Truco Argentinean	40	individual
Truco Uruguayan	40	individual
Tsung Shap	32	individual
Turkish Poker	24	individual
Tute individual	40	individual
Tute americano	40	individual
Tute corriente	40	individual
Tute habanero	40	individual
Tuxedo	40	individual
Twenty-Four	40	individual
Twenty-Two	52	individual
Twist'em Dominoes	28	banker
Uke-Shogi	40	individual
Umtali	52	individual
Vatikan	2x52+2J	individual
Vazhushal	52+2J	individual
Verish' Ne Verish'	36	individual
War	52, 52+2J	individual
Whisky Poker	52	individual
Whist two-player	52	individual
Whot ® British	49+4J	individual
Whot ® Nigerian	49+5J	individual
Žandari	52	individual
Zsírozás	32	individual
5 Card Omaha poker	52	individual
6 Card Omaha poker	52	individual
7½	40	banker
52 pick-up	52	individual

Explanation of symbols

Configuration

• Individual. With only two players, there is no possibility of forming teams. The players must play against each other - one against one - and there are no "partnership" or "alliance" games.
• Banker. The players have unequal roles: one is the "banker" and the other the "player". These games also work, and are most often played, with one banker and several players. Many casino games have this format, with a representative of the house playing as the banker. In home games, the participants usually take turns to be the banker.

Design

This column indicates the type of cards or tiles needed. See the equipment section of the classified index for further details of the different designs.

Quantity

This column gives the number of cards in the deck, indicates where multiple decks are used, and the number of jokers. Where the game can be played with various sizes or numbers of decks, perhaps depending on the number of players, the possibilities are listed, separated by commas. For example, "2x32" means a double 32-card deck: 64 cards in all with two copies of each card. "52+2J" means a 52-card deck with two jokers. "32, 36" means the game can be played with 32 or 36 cards. "2x52+2J, 3x52+3J" means that the game can be played with two 52-card decks plus two jokers (106 cards) or three 52-card decks plus three 52-card decks plus three jokers (159 cards).

Adapting trick-taking games for two players

Trick-taking games, especially those in which most or all of the cards are dealt, often do not work well with only two players. If you know that your opponent holds exactly the cards that you do not have, the play can become uninteresting. There are several solutions to this.

Undealt cards

The simplest solution is to leave some of the cards undealt and out of play, for example by dealing the same sized hands that would be used with three or four players. It will be impossible to deduce whether missing cards are held by the opponent or are undealt.

Selective deal

Instead of a normal deal, each player in turn has a choice of two cards, having seen only one of them. At your turn you draw one card and look at it. You may either add this card to your hand and then look at the next card, which you must discard out of the game, or discard the first card face down and take the second card for your hand. This way, you know half the cards that are out of the game, and can guess that of the unknown cards, the higher cards are likely to be held by your opponent.

Discard and draw

Deal some of the cards to the players and stack the remaining cards face down. Then each player in turn may discard any unwanted cards and draw an equal number of replacement cards from the face down pile. As with the selective deal, players know some of the cards that are out of play, and can guess that the high cards are likely to be in play. There can be restrictions on the number of cards each player may discard and replace.

Phased deal

Deal half the cards to the players and play them. Then deal the remaining cards to the players and play those. If you can remember what was played in the first phase you will know what your opponent has in the second phase.

Trick and draw

Deal some cards to each player and stack the rest face down to form a stock pile. After each trick, the winner of the trick draws the top card of the stock and adds it to his or her hand, and the loser draws the following card similarly. When the stock is exhausted, play the remaining cards without drawing. In this endgame, players with good memories will know their opponent's cards. Often the bottom card of the stock is turned face up and turned at right angles to it. The suit of this card is the trump suit, and this trump will be acquired by the loser of the last trick before the stock is exhausted.

Dummy hands

Deal more than two hands. Two hands belong to the two live players and the remaining hand or hands are dummy players. Dummy hands may be face down, face up or partly face up, and there are various options for who plays from the dummy hand(s) and what to do when a dummy wins a trick.

Packets on the table

This is probably the most recently developed method and is one of the most successful. Each player is dealt a hand of cards plus a number of packets of cards which are placed in a row on the table with the top card of each packet face up and the cards under it face down. When playing a card, you may use either a card from your hand or the top card of any of your packets. Whenever you play a card from a packet, you turn the next card of the packet (if any) face up - this may happen immediately after you play the card or at the end of the trick, depending on the rules of the game.

Possible for Two Players

Here is a list of other traditional card and tile games that can be played by two players. Although these games are possible for two, they are not particularly recommended, since they work better with some other number of players.

Game	Quantity	Configuration
Ace-To-Six Lowball (Draw) Poker	52	individual
Aces, Straights and Flushes Poker	52	individual
All for One and One for All Poker	52	individual
All Fours Trinidad	52	individual
Baseball Poker	52	individual
Big Two	52	individual
Bitch, The Poker	52	individual
Black Mariah Poker	52	individual
Bourré	52	individual
Bridge with Semi-exposed Dummies	52	individual
Bullshit	52	individual
Burako Argentinean	2x52+2J	individual
Burraco Italian	2x52+4J	individual
California Lowball Poker	52, 52+J	individual
Canasta	2x52+4J	individual
Cangkul	52, 52+J	individual
Chicago Poker	52	individual
Chicken Foot	55, 91	individual
Chinese Poker	52	individual
Clabber	24	individual
Cöch	40	individual
Coteccio	40	individual
Crates	52	individual
Democracy	48	individual
Domino Euchre	28	individual
Double Draw Poker	52	individual
Double Dummy Bridge	52	individual
Draw and Discard Bridge	52	individual
Draw Bridge	52	individual
Dudák	32	individual
English Stud Poker	52	individual
Fast Track	2x52+4J	individual
Five Card Draw Deuces Wild Poker	52	individual
Five Card Draw Poker	52	individual
Five Card Draw with a Bug Poker	52+J	individual
Five Card Stud Poker	52	individual
Five Card Stud High-Low Poker	52	individual
Five Card Stud High-Low With a Buy Poker	52	individual
Five Hundred	42+J	individual
Five Up Dominoes	28	individual
Follow The Queen Poker	52	individual
Football Poker	52	individual
Go Fish	52	individual
Hand and Foot	3x52+6J	individual
Hokm	52	individual
Honeymoon Bridge	52	individual
I Doubt It!	52	individual
Irish Snap	52	individual
Jacks or Better (5 Card Draw) Poker	52	individual
Juse	52	individual
Kaiser	32	individual
Kansas City Lowball Poker	52	individual
Kings Corners	52	individual
Klabberjass	32	individual
Lansquenet	6x52	banker
London Lowball (7-card Stud) Poker	52	individual
Low Chicago Poker	52	individual
Low Hole Poker	52	individual
Lowball (5 Card Stud) Poker	52	individual
Lowball (Draw) Poker	52	individual
Mao	52	individual
Mariáš	32	individual
Memory Bridge	52	individual
Mexican Stud Poker	52	individual
Mexican Sweat Poker	52	individual
Mexican Train	55	individual
Napoleon Japanese	52, 52+J	individual
Night Baseball Poker	52	individual
Ninety-Nine adding game	52	individual
Ninety-Nine trick-taking	36	individual
No Peek Poker	52	individual
Old Maid	43, 51	individual
Paiute	52	individual
Paskahousu	52	individual
Pepper	24	individual
Pitch	52	individual
Poker Menteur	52	individual
Pontoon	52	banker
Pöytäpaska	52	individual
Primero	40	individual
Raub	32	individual
Razz	52	individual
Roll Your Own Poker	52	individual
Ruotsalainen paskahousu	52	individual
Sam Sip ผสมสิบ	52, 52+3J	individual
Samba	3x52+6J	individual
San Francisco Poker	52	individual
Scat	52	individual
Schwimmen	32	individual
Scopa	40	individual
Scopa d'Assi	40	individual
Scopa di Quindici	40	individual
Seep	52	individual
Sequence Poker	52	individual
Seven Card Stud Poker	52	individual
Seven Card Stud High-Low Poker	52	individual
Seven Card Stud with Wild Cards Poker	52	individual
Shithead	52	individual
Single Dummy Bridge	52	individual
Sjavs	32	individual
Skitgubbe	52	individual
Slapjack	52	individual
Sökö Stud Poker	52	individual
Spades	52	individual
Svoi Kozyri	36	individual
Tiến Lên	52	individual
Tres y Dos	52	individual
Triple Draw Poker	52	individual
Tripoli	52	individual
Trips to Win (5 Card Draw) Poker	52	individual
Troeven	32	individual
Truc Catalonia	40	individual
Tysiąc 1000	24	individual
Vändåtta	52	individual
Vitou	32	individual
Voormsi	36	individual
Watten	32, 33, 36	individual
Woolworth Poker	52	individual
Yukon	52	individual
Zecchinetta	40	banker
Zwickern	52, 52+3J, 52+4J, 52+6J	individual
25	52	individual
32-card Poker	32	individual
41 Exchange	52	individual
51 Chinese	52, 52+2J	individual
51 Japanese	52, 52+J, 52+2J	individual
55	52	individual
110	52	individual
220	52	individual