The classic pastime, playing cards—every household is sure to have at least one deck, right? They’re easy to play with, so some of you might even use them during work breaks or after school! They’re also great for killing time while traveling or when you can’t go outside—having a deck instantly livens things up.
In this article, we’ll introduce simple, easy card games you can play with two people.
We’ve carefully selected a wide range of games that even small children can enjoy, so you’re sure to find something that makes you think, “I want to try that!” and will get everyone excited.
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Simple, Casual Trump Card Game Special (1–10)
war
War is a two-player card game I recommend because the rules are simple and it’s easy to play.
To play, deal a 52-card deck evenly, excluding the jokers.
Each player places their dealt pile face down, and at a signal like “Ready, go!” both flip the top card from their pile onto the table.
The higher card wins that round.
In this game, Ace (1) is the strongest and 2 is the weakest.
It’s a luck-heavy game where the goal is to win until your opponent runs out of cards.
It’s perfect for killing time.
Pig’s tail
Pig’s Tail is a playing-card game that even small children can enjoy.
The name comes from placing the well-shuffled deck in a looped circle like a pig’s curly tail.
The rules are simple: the person who wins rock-paper-scissors draws the first card from anywhere and places it face up in the center.
The next player also draws one card from anywhere.
If the suit matches the previous card—for example, heart after heart—the player who drew the matching suit must take all the cards currently in the center.
However, if a joker appears, you can get rid of (discard) cards from your hand onto the pile.
In the end, the player with the fewest cards in hand wins.
It’s a luck-based game, so it can be fun to put a small wager on it!
Number matching
This is a game where you try to match card numbers three times in a row.
Use 12 cards of the same suit.
Try to guess what number your opponent will play, then choose from your 12 numbered cards and place one on the table.
If your card’s number matches your opponent’s, think ahead and play another card.
If the second one also matches, then for the third round, play all of your remaining cards.
At that time, place the card with the number you’ve guessed on top.
Matching numbers with your opponent three times may be difficult.
However, if you try several times and align your thinking, you might be able to match.
takoyaki
Takoyaki is a simple playing card game that even very young children can enjoy.
As the name suggests, it’s a Japanese-origin card game.
There’s no mind game element—just luck—so it’s great for parents and kids to play together.
Use a standard 52-card deck without jokers.
After each player is dealt 10 cards, lay 10 cards face down in front of each player in two rows of five.
You win by turning all of your face-down cards face up.
The starting player draws one card from the deck and flips the card in the position that matches the number drawn—that’s it.
Face cards are a miss and signal that the turn passes to the other player.
Flipping the cards one by one builds excitement—just like making takoyaki!
speed
If you want a lively two-player card game, Speed is highly recommended! It’s all about quick reflexes, so unlike mind games, the fast pace gets your adrenaline pumping and makes for a great time.
Shuffle all 52 cards (no jokers) well and deal them evenly.
On the table, each player places four cards face up.
At the cue “Ready, set, go!” both players place a card in the center, then continue by playing from their four face-up cards any card that is one rank higher or lower than the center card.
If you’re not fast, you won’t be able to play your cards and you’ll lose.
Sometimes you’ll even accidentally slap your card onto your opponent’s hand—those little mishaps happen a lot and make it even more fun.
Get into it, work up a sweat, and enjoy!
Splash
Dobon is a thrilling card game with techniques like “Dobon” and “Dobon reversal” that keep the tension high.
It’s played similarly to Page One: each player starts with five cards and plays one card to the table.
The next player must play a card from their hand that matches either the suit or the number of the card on the table.
The first player to run out of cards wins.
One winning technique, called “Dobon,” lets you immediately win by saying “Dobon” if the sum of the value of the card on the table and one of your cards equals a specific condition—namely, they match in total.
However, because there’s also a “Dobon reversal,” the game can get quite thrilling and really liven things up.
without 7
The card game played with a Joker is Old Maid, right? Let me introduce a game similar to Old Maid called “Seven-out.” Instead of the Joker, the key card is the seven of diamonds.
Remove all the other sevens from the deck, leaving only the seven of diamonds.
Deal the cards, and start discarding pairs of the same rank from your hand.
When you’ve finished discarding, draw one card from your opponent; if you can make a pair with it, discard that as well.
Unlike Old Maid, the player who ends up with the seven of diamonds at the end wins.
The bluffing and strategy around the final seven of diamonds make it a fun game.
Since the rules are similar to Old Maid, it’s easy for children to pick up.