Who says that two people can’t have fun? Not us, that’s for sure. Sometimes, the best fun is had when there are only two pairs of eyes and hands. But, we can understand if you lack ideas of what to do with your spare time when only two people want to have fun throughout the evening. We’re going to assume that a night out is out of option. So, what’s left?
Oh, there are plenty of things left to do. All you need is a deck of cards. 2 player card games are an amazing way to spend the evening. Card games for two people are numerous, and we’re going to suggest some of the top choices for any two people in the world. If you want to heed our advice and follow our suggestions, we’re thrilled to help. If not, you can check out Stake.com as they have some of the best card and live dealer games available that could provide additional ideas if ours do not suffice.
When it comes to card games to play with 2 people it’s best not to complicate matters too much. That’s why we’re going to go with some obvious choices. You know what they say? Easy card games are the best card games. That’s why we’re going to start with one of the most popular card games out there, both as a pastime and as a casino game of the highest order.
Poker (Five-Card Draw)
Poker is our top choice as one of the finest 2-player card games in the world. If you’re looking for a challenging card game that requires both skill and look do not look further than poker. A five-card draw with a standard 52-card deck is what you’re looking for. This is a standard variation of this game and you could argue that it is one of the so to say easy card games. Considering that this is a betting game, you’d be wise to have some chips at hand too to increase the fun levels. For people who love to play poker games, it is unimaginable to play it without chips.
So, how is it played? The game starts with the pot. It is the stake you’re putting forth to the game even before the first cards are dealt. Each player needs to contribute to the pot. That’s how the game and the fun start. When the pot is filled with everyone’s initial bet the dealer starts the game. Five cards are dealt to every player. Once you have the cards in your hands, you can estimate how strong of a hand you possess. Based on its strength you put another bet forward. If you’re feeling that your hand is weak you can always fold. The issue with folding is that you do not get your first bet back, so think twice before you fold. Also, folding kills all the fun.
If you put another bet forward you are entering the draw phase of the poker game. This part of the game is what makes poker one of the best card games to play with two people. You can keep all the cards you deem strong enough, but you’re also entitled to discard every one of them. When you discard the unwanted cards, the dealer will deal the new ones to you. Even with the replacement cards, a player in this type of poker game can’t have more than five cards in hand.
With replacement cards in hand, it’s time for another round of betting. Here is where you have two more options. You can fold if your hand is not strong enough after a replacement hand, or you can bet if you feel confident. After the final bets, it is time for both players to reveal the cards they are holding in their hands. Poker is seen as one of the easy card games because after the card reveals there is not too much philosophy to it – the player with the strongest hand wins.
To make the best out of this type of poker night, you need to know what is it that defines a good or strong hand in poker. Luckily, the strength of poker hands is clearly defined by poker rules, and it’s easy to comprehend even for beginners.
* High Card – When neither of the players has any card combo, the player with the highest cards wins.
* One pair – A pair is when a player has two cards of the same kind. It can be any combo (two 8s, two As, or two 10s).
* Two pairs – It is a combo of cards when you have, for example, two As and two 8s. It can be any imaginable combo.
* Three of a kind – When a player holds three cards of the same rank it’s three of a kind (three As or three Js)
* Straight – A straight is when you have a sequence of five consecutive cards but they are not of the same suit.
* Flush – Holding five cards of the same suit but without the sequence of numbers.
* Full House – This combo is when a player holds any combination of three of a kind and a pair.
* Four of a kind – This combination is what’s called ‘poker’. With four of the kind you almost always win, especially if you’re holding As.
* Straight Flush – It is a combination of card sequences of the same suit. Depending on the biggest card in the straight, the strength of the straight flush is decided.
* Royal Flush – The strongest combination in poker. It has a combo of 10, A, J, Q, and K all in the same suit.
So, tell us, are we on the same page? Do you see poker as one of the finest 2 player card games? If not, maybe the next card game on our list will be your cup of tea.
Blackjack
Here is another amazing card game. Blackjack is not only popular in casinos and online casinos, but it is one of the best 2-player card games in the world. All you need is two players and one 52-card deck. When there are only two players, one needs to serve as the dealer. The game of blackjack starts with the dealer giving each player two cards. One needs to be put face up while the other one needs to be turned face down. Once the cards are dealt, each player takes a look at their hidden cards. As you know, the goal in blackjack is to reach 21 without going overboard, or at least closer to 21 than your opponent in this case. So, you use a bit of calculus and see how your cards add to each other in the pursuit of 21.
In blackjack, all numerical cards have their value set at the same level as their number. The trick is in the face cards, which are calculated differently. Each face card, and those include J, Q, and K are counted as 10. The A is the tricky one, as it can be counted as both 1 and 11. This numeration is what makes blackjack so interesting, and adds to the excitement that comes with a new card being drawn.
So, now that you have taken a look at your hidden card you know how close or far away from 21 you are. This is where the time for big decisions comes in, and why blackjack is seen as one of the best card games to play with 2 people. You have two choices – either to hit or to stand. To hit means that you do not have a strong enough hand and that you need an additional card drawn. To stand means that you’re satisfied with your hand and that you’ll wait for your opponent to move.
After both players are done with their decisions, the cards are shown, and the player who is closest to 21 wins that hand. In a case where both players have 21, the winner is the one who has a clear 21 as in blackjack compared to the one who got to 21 by drawing more than two cards. If both players have a straight blackjack or come to 21 by drawing more than two cards, the hand is seen as a draw.
What most players will see as a good thing about playing blackjack with only two players is the fact that the game can go on as long as players like. The winner can be the person who wins the most hands. But, if you want to make things even more interesting, you can bring chips in, like at a game of poker, and play with chips. Either way, both poker and blackjack can be seen as easy card games that can be played by only two players or within a group. No matter how you play it, there’s no arguing that they’re one the best card games out there, similar to our next example.
Gin Rummy
Here’s an interesting title. Gin Rummy is an ideal game for two players. For this card game, you’ll need two 52-card decks. The final goal of Gin Rummy is for a player to reach 100 points before their opponent to claim a win. Gin Rummy starts with the dealer giving each player a set of ten cards. Each player looks at the cards, but their value remains hidden from the opponent. The rest of the cards in the deck remain positioned at the middle of the table face down.
Once the initial moves are settled the dealer takes the top card from the deck and places it face up. This card and its position is what’s called the discard pile. The player who receives the cards first then chooses his next move – it’s either picking up the discarded card and replacing it with one from his hands, or leaving it be.
The next move is on the dealer. He can either pull another card from the deck, from the discarded pile or simply pass his move. Each player has this set of moves available to them, and the game goes back and forth between these moves. The goal is, from cards you have and those you discard to make card combos of the same kind and rank. It’s similar to poker where you look at combos such as three of a kind, a run of the same suit, or flush. The top move in this game is called a Gin. It happens when you place all ten cards from your hands on the table with an appropriate combination. If a player can’t make any decent combo and there are cards in his hands after a while, they can always fold and admit defeat.
The number of Gin Rummy matches is not unlimited. You play until one of the players reaches 100 points. So, the goal is 100 points, but how to reach it? It all comes down to the combos you’re making throughout the game. Gin counts as 25 points with the addition of opponents’ unused cards. When players are without a decent combo and they fold, the points they receive are their points deducted from their opponent’s value in unmatched cards. If the opponent wins, they get their card value plus the value of the player’s unmatched cards.
While point counting and card piling can be confusing at first when you play Gin Rummy, once you get the hang of the rules and how the points work, it is one of the more interesting 2 player card games out there.
Conclusion
There are plenty of card games to go around when there are only two players involved. We believe that these three we have singled out can do the trick for any pair of people looking for a fun pastime. So, the next time when you have a two person party take poker, blackjack, and Gin Rummy into consideration.
