Most card games are designed for groups, but some of the best card games work best with just two players. Two-player games are more personal, more strategic, and often more intense than group games. Every move you make is directly responding to one other person. Here are the best card games for two players, all playable with a standard deck.

1. Switch (London Blackjack)

Why it is great for 2 players: Switch becomes surprisingly tactical with two players. Every power card hits the same person. A King gives you a free extra turn. An 8 skips your opponent. You are in a constant psychological battle, deciding when to deploy your power cards and when to hold them.

How to play: Deal 7 cards each. Match the top of the discard pile by suit or rank. Black Jacks force your opponent to pick up 5, 2s force a pickup of 2 (stackable), Aces change suit, 8s skip a turn, Kings give you another go. First to empty their hand wins. Must declare "Last Card" when down to one card.

Average game time: 5-15 minutes. Play it online here.

2. Gin Rummy

Why it is great for 2 players: Gin Rummy is designed specifically as a 2-player game. The tension of watching your opponent's draw-and-discard patterns, trying to work out what sets they are building, is at its best when you are only tracking one opponent.

How to play: Deal 10 cards each. Take turns drawing from the stock or discard pile, then discarding. Try to form sets (three or more cards of the same rank) and runs (three or more consecutive cards of the same suit). When your unmatched cards total 10 or fewer points, you can "knock" to end the round.

Average game time: 15-30 minutes per hand.

3. Speed (Spit)

Why it is great for 2 players: Pure, undiluted chaos. No thinking, just reflexes.

How to play: Split the deck evenly. Both players simultaneously flip cards onto two central piles, trying to play consecutive cards (one higher or lower than the top card). No turns - both players go at the same time. The first player to empty their hand wins.

Average game time: 3-5 minutes. Intensely addictive.

4. War

Why it is great for 2 players: Completely mindless in the best possible way. Ideal when you want company without having to think.

How to play: Split the deck evenly. Both players flip their top card simultaneously. The higher card wins both cards. When cards tie, each player places 3 cards face-down and flips a fourth - highest card wins all 10 cards. The player who collects all 52 cards wins.

Average game time: 20-40 minutes (can go on forever).

5. Cribbage

Why it is great for 2 players: Cribbage is one of the most strategically rich 2-player card games ever invented. It rewards memory, probability thinking, and card counting. Highly replayable.

How to play: Deal 6 cards each. Each player discards 2 cards to a shared "crib" (which will score for the dealer). Players alternate playing cards, scoring points for totals of 15, pairs, and runs. Then hands are revealed and scored. First to 121 points wins.

Average game time: 30-45 minutes. Requires a cribbage board to track score, but a pen and paper works fine.

6. Snap

Why it is great for 2 players: Works perfectly with two. No diluted tension of a group game.

How to play: Split the deck. Take turns flipping cards face-up onto a central pile. When two consecutive cards match in rank, both players race to shout "Snap!" and place their hand on the pile. The faster player wins the pile. The player who collects all the cards wins.

Average game time: 5-10 minutes.

7. Egyptian Ratscrew

Why it is great for 2 players: Combines elements of War and Snap with slapping mechanics that require both speed and knowledge of the rules.

How to play: Split the deck. Take turns playing cards onto a central pile. When a face card is played, the other player must play a face card in response (1-4 attempts depending on the card). You can also slap the pile to win it when specific patterns appear (pairs, sandwiches, sets of 10). The player who collects all cards wins.

Average game time: 10-20 minutes.

8. Rummy

Why it is great for 2 players: Classic and satisfying. The deduction element of watching what your opponent picks up and discards is at its best with just one opponent to track.

How to play: Deal 10 cards each. Take turns drawing and discarding, building sets of 3+ matching ranks and runs of 3+ consecutive same-suit cards. The first player to arrange all their cards into valid groups wins.

Average game time: 15-25 minutes.

9. Beggar My Neighbour

Why it is great for 2 players: A luck-based classic that is entirely unpredictable - a game can be over in 2 minutes or last half an hour.

How to play: Split the deck evenly. Take turns playing cards onto a central pile. When a face card or Ace is played, the other player must pay a tribute (Ace = 4 cards, King = 3, Queen = 2, Jack = 1). If they play a face card during their tribute, the first player must now pay tribute. The player who runs out of cards first loses.

Average game time: 5-20 minutes.

10. Piquet

Why it is great for 2 players: One of the oldest card games in the world, designed specifically for two players. Extremely strategic and worth the effort to learn.

How to play: Uses a 32-card deck (remove 2s through 6s). Players score points for combinations in their hand (sequences, sets, and having the most cards of one suit) and for winning tricks. The player with the most points after 6 deals wins.

Average game time: 30-45 minutes.

The Best 2-Player Card Game Online

If you want to play a great 2-player card game against a real person online without downloading anything, LDN Blackjack lets you play Switch with London rules in real time. Create a private room and share the code with your opponent, or use Quick Match to find an opponent automatically.