<p>I'm a big fan of <a href="http://www.riograndegames.com/games.html?id=48">Carcassonne</a> -- the game is better with more people, but you can certainly play it with two people, and since it's a tile-laying game, the board will always be different.</p>

<p>In my opinion, the game bogs down with expansions, but the core set (with or without the River Expansion), is a lot of fun.  </p>

CC BY-SA 2.5
2010-10-26T20:57:24.313Z
+1: Carcassonne is one of the few board games that's actually fun with two players
Joren
CC BY-SA 2.5
2010-10-27T08:03:53.683Z
I agree that several of the expansions bog things down a bit, but the one essential one is The Count. It adds incentive to complete your opponents roads, cities, etc, which helps keep the game moving.
keithjgrant
CC BY-SA 2.5
2010-12-05T11:37:42.243Z
I love Carcassonne with two players.
spolto
CC BY-SA 2.5
2010-10-20T10:34:40.970Z
Agreed...although the Princess and Fairy expansion is a worthwhile investment for the introduction of the Dragon...
Albort
CC BY-SA 2.5
2010-10-20T11:21:13.477Z
@Albort -- hah, that's funny, I won that at as a prize at a game store, and gave it away.  Good thing it's inexpensive!
LittleBobbyTables - Au Revoir
CC BY-SA 2.5
2010-10-20T12:04:10.230Z
I'm surprised this is winning so far, since despite is popularity and quality, two really isn't the best number of players by a long way. And yes, I downvoted. Carcassonne is a good game, but isn't the answer to everything, especially this particular question.
Mark Withers
CC BY-SA 2.5
2010-10-20T12:05:54.410Z
@Mark Withers -- It's not a matter of "winning", some people just agreed with me is all.  And wow, you feel that strongly, huh?
LittleBobbyTables - Au Revoir
CC BY-SA 2.5
2010-10-20T12:11:31.650Z
@LittleBobbyTables I've made an answer myself, and upvoted Dominion. I'm trying to put myself in the shoes of the original poster. Lets say he makes one purchase on the back of the recommendations here, I'd like him to end up with the best available 2 player experience! :)
Mark Withers
CC BY-SA 2.5
2010-10-20T02:18:50.687Z
2010-10-20T02:18:50.687Z
LittleBobbyTables - Au Revoir
<p>Besides a few mentioned above I like <a href="http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/36218/dominion" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Dominion</a> as a two player game as well as <a href="http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/69789/ascension-chronicle-of-the-godslayer" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Ascension</a> (so far).
<img src="https://i.sstatic.net/BOuAL.jpg" alt="Dominion"> <img src="https://i.sstatic.net/dfyIj.jpg" alt="Ascension"></p>

CC BY-SA 2.5
2010-10-26T17:33:13.413Z
Is Ascension a CCG or not? I can't quite tell from the marketing text, and since it trumpets how it was designed by champion Magic players, I can't help but wonder. I don't do collectible **anything**.
gomad
CC BY-SA 2.5
2010-10-29T18:12:11.370Z
@gomad - Ascension is not a CCG.  It's more on par with Thunderstone, in that it's a deck building game.

Pretty good game at that, although I've only played the 2 player version, it's marked as 2-4 players.
Still I would play this with 2 players, and Thunderstone with 3+.
My Turn Yet
CC BY-SA 2.5
2010-10-31T15:44:22.360Z
I've played Ascension with 2 and 3 and it's an fun game. It's reasonably fast and has enough diversity to be played again next week.
Don
CC BY-SA 2.5
2010-10-20T12:02:30.777Z
Dominion is superb 2 player. Make sure you replay your set of 10 cards a few times to really explore the two player interactions
Mark Withers
CC BY-SA 2.5
2010-10-20T08:44:22.627Z
2010-10-21T09:14:49.630Z
2010-10-21T09:14:49.630Z
Don
<p>My wife and I really enjoy <a href="http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/50/lost-cities" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><strong>Lost Cities</strong></a>. </p>

<p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/HSkx8.jpg" alt="alt text"></p>

<p>It's a pretty simple card game, but there is a fair amount of depth to it, and only takes around 30 minutes to finish 3 rounds.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-06-20T20:46:16.950Z
I found the video game adaptation to be a lot of fun; if it's true to the card game, this would definitely be a good choice.
Dave DuPlantis
CC BY-SA 2.5
2010-10-20T03:42:12.297Z
2010-10-21T02:12:28.947Z
2010-10-21T02:12:28.947Z
Matt Dillard
<p><a href="http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/8217/san-juan" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><strong>San Juan</strong></a> is a really fun game that works well with two players (although it plays up to 4). Puerto Rico is a very popular and highly acclaimed board game; San Juan is its card-driven little brother.</p>

<p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/LNdT9.jpg" alt="alt text"></p>

<p>In short, you are responsible for developing the city of San Juan by growing crops and building buildings.  There are many viable strategies, so the game changes from one play to the next, and it's a lot of fun to discover just what those viable strategies are.</p>

<p>There is not a whole lot of direct interaction with your opponent in the game, although the decisions you make are certainly heavily influenced by what your opponent is doing.</p>

CC BY-SA 2.5
2011-01-22T16:35:42.300Z
More info on the difference between Puerto Rico and San Juan :) http://boardgames.stackexchange.com/questions/2266/whats-the-difference-between-puerto-rico-and-san-juan
Gordon Gustafson
CC BY-SA 2.5
2010-10-20T03:51:46.750Z
2010-10-21T02:14:01.520Z
2010-10-21T02:14:01.520Z
Matt Dillard
<p>I'm a big fan of the <a href="http://www.boardgamegeek.com/wiki/page/Kosmos_two-player_series" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><strong>Kosmos 2-player series</strong></a>; not all of the games are great, but most of them are solid, and they're all geared specifically for two players, they come in small and easily portable boxes, and they're generally reasonably light while having just enough strategic depth to keep them interesting.</p>

<p>My favorite is <a href="http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/394/kahuna" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Kahuna</a>, as I find the gameplay a bit more strategically interesting than most, and my girlfriend likes <a href="http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/4396/odins-ravens" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Odin's Ravens</a> best. I've heard good things about <a href="http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/50/lost-cities" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Lost Cities</a>, but never had a chance to play it. There are many good games in the series; you can try sorting them by rank on <a href="http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgamefamily/78/kosmos-two-player-series" rel="nofollow noreferrer">BoardGameGeek</a>, and look through the first few pages to find the best ones.</p>

<p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/7uU6R.jpg" alt="Kahuna box cover; an aerial view of verdant tropical islands, arranged in the shape of a handprint."> <img src="https://i.sstatic.net/s8iQD.jpg" alt="Lost Cities box cover; two adventurers stand in the gate of a ruin, with sunlight streaming from above."> <img src="https://i.sstatic.net/r3iok.jpg" alt="Odin&#39;s Ravens box cover; An old bearded man with a spear and horned helm stands, with two ravens flying past"></p>

CC BY-SA 2.5
2011-02-04T18:07:10.663Z
My favorite games in this series (in order):  Flowerpower, Lost Cities, Times Square, Jambo, Hera and Zeus, Tally Ho!, Odin's Ravens.  Also, technically, the two-player Settlers of Catan card game, which was actually the first game Kosmos published in this format.
Robert Rossney
CC BY-SA 2.5
2010-10-20T05:08:37.560Z
2010-10-21T16:21:05.543Z
2010-10-21T16:21:05.543Z
Brian Campbell
<p>I and my gf loves <a href="http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/28143/race-for-the-galaxy" rel="noreferrer">Race For The Galaxy</a>. This game is still very interesting when playing 2, 3 or 4 persons.</p>

<p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/OXxKR.jpg" alt="alt text"></p>

CC BY-SA 2.5
2010-10-20T09:28:34.893Z
2010-10-20T09:28:34.893Z
Pawka
<p><a href="http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/2655/hive" rel="noreferrer">Hive</a> is a great abstract game for two players.</p>

<p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/nZ3mM.jpg" alt="alt text"></p>

<p>The goal of the game is to completely surround your opponent's Queen Bee.  There are several different types of pieces; each is a bug of some sort, and each has unique rules governing how it moves around the board.  This game is very quick to teach, it's fast to play, and there is a world of depth to the game.</p>

<p>It's a good game for a couple to learn together, as they'll get to discover the best strategies and tactics as they play - each game evolves a bit based on what the players learned in the last game.</p>

CC BY-SA 2.5
2010-10-26T04:05:35.627Z
2010-10-26T04:05:35.627Z
Matt Dillard
<p><a href="http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/40692/small-world">Small World</a></p>

<p>This is a game for 2-5 players and is very enjoyable at each size. Two player games go very quickly and I've been known to play several games of this in an evening. The gameplay rarely gets stale, too, because of the nature of the game.</p>

<p><a href="http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/30549/pandemic">Pandemic</a></p>

<p>This is a cooperative game for 2-4 players where each player assumes a role that grants them abilities throughout the game. Each game has the roles randomized, giving each player a chance at a different play style. A two player game is especially challenging, but still a very good time.</p>

CC BY-SA 2.5
2010-10-20T14:02:56.503Z
2010-10-20T14:02:56.503Z
pian0
<p>My 'group' is almost always 2 players, here are some of our favorites:</p>

<p>As mentioned on the co-op question, my wife and I really enjoy Pandemic. It's quick to setup, quick to play, and co-operative.</p>

<p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/Lnf4l.jpg" alt="alt text"></p>

<p>The Munchkin games are also a lot of fun for two players. They're also really quick to set up,  it's not too competitive and the tone of the game makes it a lot of fun.</p>

<p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/FClUd.jpg" alt="alt text"></p>

<p>A recent favorite has been Thunderstone, it's a deck building game similar to Dominion (as mentioned in other answers)</p>

<p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/Etr2D.jpg" alt="alt text"></p>

<p>Through the Ages is a great resource management game, especially if you like the Civilization video games.</p>

<p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/fa4dx.jpg" alt="alt text"></p>

<p>Finally if you're looking for something a bit more 'hard-core' I'd recommend Arkham Horror. It's tough, and it's brutal but we have a lot of fun with it two-player.</p>

<p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/2OJ9H.jpg" alt="alt text"></p>

CC BY-SA 2.5
2010-10-26T18:37:48.263Z
Upvoted for TtA and Pandemic. I can't really recommend 2 player Munchkin, myself.
gomad
CC BY-SA 2.5
2010-10-27T13:33:23.723Z
I enjoy Thunderstone and Pandemic as two-player games.  I didn't care too much for Munchkin (I've only played it with 2 players).  I've never played Through the Ages, and I've never played Arkham Horror with two people, so I can't comment on those.
Matt Dillard
CC BY-SA 2.5
2010-11-16T16:57:51.450Z
Instant downvote for munchkin: not only it is a very poor game in general, but in two players is even more pointless, since its only value (besides humor) is in the interactions between lots of players. If the players are only two it becomes only a very very very poor completely luck-based race.
o0'.
CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-06-17T13:28:11.107Z
You can play Arkham Horror in the time it takes to play Settlers?
Monica Cellio
CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-06-17T13:29:13.510Z
Agree on Pandemic; we play this with two players a lot and it works well.  Some of the roles behave differently with two players than with four, so be aware of that.
Monica Cellio
CC BY-SA 2.5
2010-10-24T15:09:57.373Z
2010-10-24T15:09:57.373Z
Joe Zack
<p>Two variants of games that are originally better suited to 3+ people:</p>

<ul>
<li><a href="http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgameexpansion/30746/ticket-to-ride-switzerland">Ticket to Ride: Switzerland</a> brings a board that is far tighter than the original (or the European variant). </li>
<li><a href="http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/7717/carcassonne-the-castle">Carcassonne: The Castle</a> is explicitly a two-player game in which the building the courtyard of the castle is constricted by the walls.   </li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-01-05T16:23:16.777Z
I'd add the TtR: Nordic Countries as well - it's also a 2-3 player map.
Eclipse
CC BY-SA 2.5
2010-10-20T04:43:03.833Z
2010-10-20T04:43:03.833Z
lavonardo
<p>I happen to love Memoir '44 and the Battlelore system by Days of Wonder. Now Fantasy Flight owns the rights to Battlelore and has also released a Westeros version based off George RR Martins A Song of Ice and Fire series.  It's pretty quick and easy to set up and the system itself is very versatile.  With many different games/scenarios/expansions using roughly the same rules you can pick and choose the setting and the exact game in the set that's right for you.  The basic premise involves two players coordinating small units in a single battle on a hex grid based map.</p>

<p>I'm also a fan of classic card games including cribbage, which is played with a board, but probably not what you were going for.</p>

CC BY-SA 2.5
2010-10-20T02:47:06.033Z
2010-10-20T02:47:06.033Z
Tycho
<p><a href="http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/117/ta-yu" rel="nofollow">Ta Yü</a> is one of my favorite 2 player games.  It is a tile placing game.  </p>

<p>The first player plays a tile in the middle of a large square gridded board.  The tiles are 2x1 blocks that have a river section on them with 3-4 outlets on each tile.  Each player in turn plays tiles which have to match the river flow.  The object is to direct river outlets to opposite sides of the board.  One player controls the top and bottom of the board, the other controls the left and right.</p>

<p>The score at the end is the product of the number of river outflows on each side.  This forces each player to work in two directions for themselves while frustrating their opponent on two directions as well.</p>

<p>Nearly anyone can pick up the basics of the game quickly and it rewards repeated play.</p>

<p>There is also a really good three player version, but it requires that all 3 people have some experience with the game first as the players need to bid at the start of the game.</p>

CC BY-SA 2.5
2010-10-20T03:21:31.300Z
2011-02-03T22:03:29.720Z
2011-02-03T22:03:29.720Z
Pat Ludwig
<p>I can't recommend Stefan Feld's <strong>Roma</strong> (and its sequel, <strong>Roma II</strong>) enough.  I can't think of many two-player games that I've played more than 100 times, but I'm sure I've topped that with Roma.  First, its basic design is ingenious.  The use of dice to activate cards is quite novel, and the fixed victory-point pool is such a good idea that I can't believe other games don't use it.  Second, it's tense from the very beginning:  both players start the game losing, and sometimes you win just by keeping your opponent from repairing his position faster than you repair yours.  It has fantastically sharp gameplay.  A phrase I've used to describe it is "like a knife fight in a phone booth."  You don't have very much room to move, and you really don't want to make a mistake.</p>

<p>I also love <strong>Attika</strong>, a game whose reputation suffered badly by its being sold as a 2-4 player game.  It's fatally flawed with 4, and not very good with 3.  With 2, it's a deep and fascinating game of positioning, resource management, and timing, with two completely different ways to win.  (If you have 4 players, divide the tiles and the cards into two sets and play two two-player games.)</p>

<p>And then there's <strong>Innovation</strong>, which I think is 2010's best game.  It's pretty easy to learn its mechanics, but you'll play it a dozen times before you start getting good at it.  It's going to top 100 plays for me before long.  It's a game that you keep learning more about the more you play it.  I'm beginning to believe that every single card in the deck can be crucial in the right game - I still haven't ever thought, "Oh, thank God, I drew Clothing," but I'm pretty sure that some day I will.  </p>

CC BY-SA 2.5
2011-02-04T18:41:53.163Z
2011-02-04T18:41:53.163Z
Robert Rossney
<p>I'd suggest <a href="http://www.daysofwonder.com/tickettoride/en/" rel="nofollow">Ticket to Ride</a>.  (<a href="http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/9209/ticket-to-ride" rel="nofollow">BoardGameGeek link</a>)  The rules are simple, and the game can move fairly quickly with two experienced players.  Since your trying to get to different destinations each time you play, it also provides diversity when playing with two people.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-06-22T21:31:33.703Z
In particular, the Swiss expansion is built for 2-3 players.
Allen Gould
CC BY-SA 2.5
2010-10-20T03:13:22.427Z
2010-10-20T03:13:22.427Z
ICodeForCoffee
<p>OGRE can be a good two player game. One player gets an army, the other gets a giant cyborg-tank. It's a pretty even match-up. There are some strategies that are pretty quick to learn, but you can use a variety of scenarios too.</p>

CC BY-SA 2.5
2010-10-21T16:20:21.333Z
2010-10-21T16:20:21.333Z
aslum
<p>I've played a ton of games, and Battle Line is among the best two player games out there.</p>

<p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/pb5vy.jpg" alt="enter image description here"></p>

<p><a href="http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/760/battle-line" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Battle Line</a></p>

<p>This is a game made by the great Reiner Knizia, so already you know it's good. The way it works is there are 9 columns. On your turn you play a card onto your side of any column. Once your formation on a column can't possibly be beat by the opponent, you take that column. If you get 5 columns total, or three adjacent columns, you win. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-06-17T12:51:45.510Z
2011-06-17T12:51:45.510Z
Apreche
<p>(I posted this on another question about 2-player boardgames which was closed as a duplicate.  I appreciate that someone has already suggested Lost Cities to this question, but my answer does go into some extra detail, so I hope you won't begrudge me reposting it here!)</p>

<h2>Lost Cities</h2>

<p>I bought this game for my wife for Valentine's Day and totally got away with it - she loves it!</p>

<p>It's not to be confused with the Lost Cities boardgame - I'm talking about the 2 player card game. Essentially players are archaeologists setting out to discover the Lost Cities of the title. There are 5 different Lost Cities (each of a different colour), and the deck contains cards from 2-10 in each colour, and three multiplier cards. You can play a card to an "expedition" or discard one to a central pile, and then pick one up from the deck or from a central pile; the problem is, once you play a numeric card to an expedition you can no longer play a multiplier, and you can never play a lower number onto a higher one. At the end you total the value of each expedition, subtract 20, and times by the number of multiplier cards plus one (plus there's a bonus for an impressive 8-cards+ expedition).</p>

<p>Obviously you can lose mad points as well as gain them from starting an expedition you can't follow through with! There's a lot of strategy for a simple game, deciding when you can afford to play, when you can afford to discard, and when you just have to cling onto cards for dear life in your hand! A game takes only 5 minutes, and a match is meant to be best of three games. It's got a colourful theme, attractive (oversized) cards, and quite a lot of depth for a game that's so simple to get started with: it's a real couples game in my opinion.</p>

<p>The only thing I don't like about the game is that there's allegedly a 4 player variant - but to play it you're encouraged to buy a second copy of the base game just so you can add it about 20 duplicate cards to your deck. Yeah, right. This fact is not a problem if you just want a game to play as a couple though, thank goodness!</p>

CC BY-SA 2.5
2011-02-03T21:55:21.307Z
I regretted losing your answer on the other question and was considering merging the questions but I see you've taken care of the issue yourself :)
Pat Ludwig
CC BY-SA 2.5
2011-02-03T20:35:13.413Z
2011-02-03T20:35:13.413Z
thesunneversets
<p>I'm going to recommend <a href="http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/3076/puerto-rico" rel="nofollow">Puerto Rico</a>. My wife and I play the <a href="http://boardgamegeek.com/filepage/1583/puerto-rico-variant-for-2-players-doc" rel="nofollow">2-player variant</a> (official variant from the designer) all the time and find it quite satisfactory. Since it's the top rated game on BGG, I think it will probably appeal to both of you.</p>

<p>We also have been enjoying <a href="http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/45315/dungeon-lords" rel="nofollow">Dungeon Lords</a> lately. It is quite a bit more complex than PR, though.</p>

<p>We love <a href="http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/37380/roll-through-the-ages-the-bronze-age" rel="nofollow">Roll Through the Ages</a>, though admittedly, we have both only ever played the version on the iPhone. The full-on <a href="http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/25613/through-the-ages-a-story-of-civilization" rel="nofollow">Through the Ages</a> is a great game, but it's a long one. You'll spend your whole afternoon on anything but the introductory version of the game.</p>

<p>As far as games designed expressly for two players, I recently traded in a couple of games that were fairly highly rated, <a href="http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/7804/dracula" rel="nofollow">Dracula</a> and <a href="http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/21763/mr-jack" rel="nofollow">Mr. Jack</a>, because neither of us particularly liked them. </p>

<p>The game I put the proceeds towards is <a href="http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/36932/claustrophobia" rel="nofollow">Claustrophobia</a>. It's a 2-player asymmetrical game built on direct conflict and interaction between the players. Tons of fun though, we both like it more than the two we sold put together!</p>

CC BY-SA 2.5
2010-10-23T15:21:08.213Z
Do you have a link for the two-player rule variant for Puerto Rico?
Commodore Jaeger
CC BY-SA 2.5
2010-10-26T17:30:02.933Z
Yes, I added the link a couple of days ago - but forgot to tell you!
gomad
CC BY-SA 2.5
2011-02-09T18:26:14.330Z
@Commodore Jaeger - I only recently found out that you'll only get a reply if I "@" you. I thought commenting AFTER your comment triggered a reply. So this is just to let you know that the link to the 2 player variant is, and has been, there.
gomad
CC BY-SA 2.5
2010-10-21T16:00:33.897Z
2010-10-23T21:28:13.667Z
2010-10-23T21:28:13.667Z
gomad
<p>There's an entire <a href="http://www.boardgamegeek.com/wiki/page/What_to_Play_With_Your_Spouse" rel="nofollow">list of lists</a> of games to play with your loved one on Board Game Geek. My wife enjoys the Settlers of Catan card game, but some people hate it. I recommend the Kosmos two-player games, particularly Odin's Ravens and Balloon Cup.</p>

CC BY-SA 2.5
2010-10-20T06:14:10.477Z
2010-10-20T06:22:26.393Z
2010-10-20T06:22:26.393Z
Don Kirkby
<p>The Awful Green Things from Outer Space is a great two player game, that is always a little different thanks to the unpredictability of what each weapon will do each game.</p>

CC BY-SA 2.5
2010-10-21T16:18:33.640Z
2010-10-21T16:18:33.640Z
aslum
<p>Knizia's Lords series (<a href="http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/10908/minotaur-lords" rel="nofollow">Minotaur Lords</a> &amp; <a href="http://www.funagain.com/control/product?product_id=013910" rel="nofollow">Scarab Lords</a>) is a lot of fun for a 2 player head-to-head card game.</p>

<p>It incorporates elements from area domination, as well as deck customisation (as you would in a trading-card-game). Easy to learn, hard to master!</p>

CC BY-SA 2.5
2010-10-20T07:38:30.047Z
2010-10-20T07:38:30.047Z
Powertieke
<p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tikal_%28board_game%29" rel="nofollow">Tikal</a> is a great board game for 2 to 4 players, and it plays very well with two.</p>

CC BY-SA 2.5
2010-11-16T12:52:23.830Z
2010-11-16T12:52:23.830Z
Dimitri C.
<p>In terms of <strong>avoiding conflict</strong>, <a href="https://boardgames.stackexchange.com/users/50/ire-and-curses">ire_and_curses</a> recommends <a href="http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/30549/pandemic" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Pandemic</a>, <a href="https://boardgames.stackexchange.com/questions/9/what-cooperative-board-games-are-there-that-i-could-safely-play-with-my-wife">"where each player works together to try and halt the spread of a number of deadly diseases"</a>.</p>

CC BY-SA 2.5
2010-10-21T11:52:46.680Z
2010-10-21T11:52:46.680Z
2017-04-13T12:38:50.397Z
gkrogers
<p>My wife's favorite game is <a href="http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/5716/balloon-cup" rel="nofollow">Balloon Cup</a>. 2-player only, plays quickly, nice components.</p>

CC BY-SA 2.5
2010-10-20T04:23:23.627Z
2010-10-20T04:23:23.627Z
squelart
<p>I recently had fun playing <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merchant_of_venus" rel="nofollow">The Merchant of Venus</a> 2 player, after not having played it for a few years.</p>

CC BY-SA 2.5
2010-10-26T17:40:09.223Z
2010-10-26T17:40:09.223Z
Stu Pegg
<p>Not really comparable to Settlers of Catan, but <strong>Blokus Duo</strong> is pretty good 2-player game. Price tag of $10 it's worth a look, I've played it dozens of times with my Brother already and it's pretty fun, simple, but challenging.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-03-06T03:02:26.830Z
The regular Blokus Classic (4 colors) is also an excellent 2-player game, with more strategy and less randomness than when it is played with 4 players.
T G
CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-06-17T05:32:03.070Z
2011-06-17T05:32:03.070Z
Quang
<p>I would suggest <a href="http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/31260/agricola">Agricola</a>. A deep, strategic game, which excels as a two player contest. There is plenty of interaction in blocking your opponents moves, plus the card sets ensure no two games are exactly the same. Should make for some good cut and thrust gaming fun!</p>

CC BY-SA 2.5
2011-01-05T18:27:29.357Z
I've upvoted, but this may not be the best game to play with your wife.  A two player game of Agricola involves a lot of action/resource denial which may end up being too aggressive for some folks.
Pat Ludwig
CC BY-SA 2.5
2011-02-04T18:03:07.563Z
I love Agricola, but I didn't really love it with two.
Robert Rossney
CC BY-SA 2.5
2011-02-04T19:36:13.010Z
I think it's great with 2.  But even better with 3 or 4, admittedly.
thesunneversets
CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-06-17T13:26:41.310Z
Just one data point: my husband and I play this as a two-player game a lot and we find it very enjoyable without being too cut-throat.
Monica Cellio
CC BY-SA 2.5
2010-10-20T12:08:58.320Z
2010-10-20T12:08:58.320Z
Mark Withers
<p>My wife and I enjoy playing board games (having gotten hooked on Settlers of Catan and expanded from there) but we don't often have the opportunity to play with other people. The question <a href="https://boardgames.stackexchange.com/questions/9/what-cooperative-board-games-are-there-that-i-could-safely-play-with-my-wife">What cooperative board games are there that I could safely play with my wife?</a> is similar but we're less concerned about avoiding conflict and more interested in gameplay. (The question <a href="https://boardgames.stackexchange.com/questions/4/good-board-games-for-single-player">Good board games for single player</a> is also similar.) What board games are good for two players?</p>

<p>Edit: Having done a poor job in limiting the scope of my question, since there are clearly too many board games to list them all, let me try to clarify. I'm looking for games with similar scope, time requirements, cost, and complexity to <em>Settlers of Catan</em> that play well with two adult players. I'm not especially concerned by the level of cooperation or competition required, but I'd like to avoid anything especially blood-thirsty.</p>

CC BY-SA 2.5
2010-10-21T11:33:54.710Z
Flagged for wiki conversion. See: http://meta.boardgames.stackexchange.com/questions/66/recommend-a-game-questions
Jon Hadley
CC BY-SA 2.5
2010-10-21T15:12:44.233Z
-1 because you have given no real sense of what sort of game you would like - how long would you like the game (six months, two weeks, eight hours, two hours?)?  What kind of price range / number of components?  What level of complexity?
Richard Gadsden
CC BY-SA 2.5
2010-10-21T15:23:40.033Z
@Richard I mentioned Settlers of Catan in passing but I'll make the comparison more explicit.
Commodore Jaeger
<recommendations>
Board games for two players
Commodore Jaeger
# Board games for two players

(Asked by: username_0 on 2010-10-20)

My wife and I enjoy playing board games (having gotten hooked on Settlers of Catan and expanded from there) but we don't often have the opportunity to play with other people. The question [What cooperative board games are there that I could safely play with my wife?](https://boardgames.stackexchange.com/questions/9/what-cooperative-board-games-are-there-that-i-could-safely-play-with-my-wife) is similar but we're less concerned about avoiding conflict and more interested in gameplay. (The question [Good board games for single player](https://boardgames.stackexchange.com/questions/4/good-board-games-for-single-player) is also similar.) What board games are good for two players?

Edit: Having done a poor job in limiting the scope of my question, since there are clearly too many board games to list them all, let me try to clarify. I'm looking for games with similar scope, time requirements, cost, and complexity to *Settlers of Catan* that play well with two adult players. I'm not especially concerned by the level of cooperation or competition required, but I'd like to avoid anything especially blood-thirsty.

**Tags:** recommendations

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Flagged for wiki conversion. See: http://meta.boardgames.stackexchange.com/questions/66/recommend-a-game-questions  
> **username_2**: -1 because you have given no real sense of what sort of game you would like - how long would you like the game (six months, two weeks, eight hours, two hours?)?  What kind of price range / number of components?  What level of complexity?  
> **username_0**: @Richard I mentioned Settlers of Catan in passing but I'll make the comparison more explicit.  

---

## 27 answers

### Answer by username_8 on 2010-10-20. Score: 19 | Accepted answer

I would suggest [Agricola](http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/31260/agricola). A deep, strategic game, which excels as a two player contest. There is plenty of interaction in blocking your opponents moves, plus the card sets ensure no two games are exactly the same. Should make for some good cut and thrust gaming fun!

> **Comments:**
> **username_25**: I've upvoted, but this may not be the best game to play with your wife.  A two player game of Agricola involves a lot of action/resource denial which may end up being too aggressive for some folks.  
> **username_16**: I love Agricola, but I didn't really love it with two.  
> **username_30**: I think it's great with 2.  But even better with 3 or 4, admittedly.  
> **username_21**: Just one data point: my husband and I play this as a two-player game a lot and we find it very enjoyable without being too cut-throat.  

---

### Answer by username_3 on 2010-10-20. Score: 29

I'm a big fan of [Carcassonne](http://www.riograndegames.com/games.html?id=48) -- the game is better with more people, but you can certainly play it with two people, and since it's a tile-laying game, the board will always be different.

In my opinion, the game bogs down with expansions, but the core set (with or without the River Expansion), is a lot of fun.

> **Comments:**
> **username_7**: Agreed...although the Princess and Fairy expansion is a worthwhile investment for the introduction of the Dragon...  
> **username_3**: @username_7 -- hah, that's funny, I won that at as a prize at a game store, and gave it away.  Good thing it's inexpensive!  
> **username_8**: I'm surprised this is winning so far, since despite is popularity and quality, two really isn't the best number of players by a long way. And yes, I downvoted. Carcassonne is a good game, but isn't the answer to everything, especially this particular question.  
> **username_3**: @username_8 -- It's not a matter of "winning", some people just agreed with me is all.  And wow, you feel that strongly, huh?  
> **username_8**: @LittleBobbyTables I've made an answer myself, and upvoted Dominion. I'm trying to put myself in the shoes of the original poster. Lets say he makes one purchase on the back of the recommendations here, I'd like him to end up with the best available 2 player experience! :)  
> **username_4**: +1: Carcassonne is one of the few board games that's actually fun with two players  
> **username_5**: I agree that several of the expansions bog things down a bit, but the one essential one is The Count. It adds incentive to complete your opponents roads, cities, etc, which helps keep the game moving.  
> **username_6**: I love Carcassonne with two players.  

---

### Answer by username_9 on 2010-10-20. Score: 17

Besides a few mentioned above I like [Dominion](http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/36218/dominion) as a two player game as well as [Ascension](http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/69789/ascension-chronicle-of-the-godslayer) (so far).
![Dominion](https://i.sstatic.net/BOuAL.jpg) ![Ascension](https://i.sstatic.net/dfyIj.jpg)

> **Comments:**
> **username_8**: Dominion is superb 2 player. Make sure you replay your set of 10 cards a few times to really explore the two player interactions  
> **username_10**: Is Ascension a CCG or not? I can't quite tell from the marketing text, and since it trumpets how it was designed by champion Magic players, I can't help but wonder. I don't do collectible **anything**.  
> **username_11**: @username_10 - Ascension is not a CCG.  It's more on par with Thunderstone, in that it's a deck building game.  Pretty good game at that, although I've only played the 2 player version, it's marked as 2-4 players. Still I would play this with 2 players, and Thunderstone with 3+.  
> **username_9**: I've played Ascension with 2 and 3 and it's an fun game. It's reasonably fast and has enough diversity to be played again next week.  

---

### Answer by username_17 on 2010-10-20. Score: 12

I and my gf loves [Race For The Galaxy](http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/28143/race-for-the-galaxy). This game is still very interesting when playing 2, 3 or 4 persons.

![alt text](https://i.sstatic.net/OXxKR.jpg)


---

### Answer by username_12 on 2010-10-20. Score: 11

My wife and I really enjoy [**Lost Cities**](http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/50/lost-cities).

![alt text](https://i.sstatic.net/HSkx8.jpg)

It's a pretty simple card game, but there is a fair amount of depth to it, and only takes around 30 minutes to finish 3 rounds.

> **Comments:**
> **username_13**: I found the video game adaptation to be a lot of fun; if it's true to the card game, this would definitely be a good choice.  

---

### Answer by username_12 on 2010-10-20. Score: 11

[**San Juan**](http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/8217/san-juan) is a really fun game that works well with two players (although it plays up to 4). Puerto Rico is a very popular and highly acclaimed board game; San Juan is its card-driven little brother.

![alt text](https://i.sstatic.net/LNdT9.jpg)

In short, you are responsible for developing the city of San Juan by growing crops and building buildings. There are many viable strategies, so the game changes from one play to the next, and it's a lot of fun to discover just what those viable strategies are.

There is not a whole lot of direct interaction with your opponent in the game, although the decisions you make are certainly heavily influenced by what your opponent is doing.

> **Comments:**
> **username_14**: More info on the difference between Puerto Rico and San Juan :) http://boardgames.stackexchange.com/questions/2266/whats-the-difference-between-puerto-rico-and-san-juan  

---

### Answer by username_15 on 2010-10-20. Score: 9

I'm a big fan of the [**Kosmos 2-player series**](http://www.boardgamegeek.com/wiki/page/Kosmos_two-player_series); not all of the games are great, but most of them are solid, and they're all geared specifically for two players, they come in small and easily portable boxes, and they're generally reasonably light while having just enough strategic depth to keep them interesting.

My favorite is [Kahuna](http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/394/kahuna), as I find the gameplay a bit more strategically interesting than most, and my girlfriend likes [Odin's Ravens](http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/4396/odins-ravens) best. I've heard good things about [Lost Cities](http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/50/lost-cities), but never had a chance to play it. There are many good games in the series; you can try sorting them by rank on [BoardGameGeek](http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgamefamily/78/kosmos-two-player-series), and look through the first few pages to find the best ones.

![Kahuna box cover; an aerial view of verdant tropical islands, arranged in the shape of a handprint.](https://i.sstatic.net/7uU6R.jpg) ![Lost Cities box cover; two adventurers stand in the gate of a ruin, with sunlight streaming from above.](https://i.sstatic.net/s8iQD.jpg) ![Odin's Ravens box cover; An old bearded man with a spear and horned helm stands, with two ravens flying past](https://i.sstatic.net/r3iok.jpg)

> **Comments:**
> **username_16**: My favorite games in this series (in order):  Flowerpower, Lost Cities, Times Square, Jambo, Hera and Zeus, Tally Ho!, Odin's Ravens.  Also, technically, the two-player Settlers of Catan card game, which was actually the first game Kosmos published in this format.  

---

### Answer by username_12 on 2010-10-26. Score: 8

[Hive](http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/2655/hive) is a great abstract game for two players.

![alt text](https://i.sstatic.net/nZ3mM.jpg)

The goal of the game is to completely surround your opponent's Queen Bee. There are several different types of pieces; each is a bug of some sort, and each has unique rules governing how it moves around the board. This game is very quick to teach, it's fast to play, and there is a world of depth to the game.

It's a good game for a couple to learn together, as they'll get to discover the best strategies and tactics as they play - each game evolves a bit based on what the players learned in the last game.


---

### Answer by username_19 on 2010-10-24. Score: 8

My 'group' is almost always 2 players, here are some of our favorites:

As mentioned on the co-op question, my wife and I really enjoy Pandemic. It's quick to setup, quick to play, and co-operative.

![alt text](https://i.sstatic.net/Lnf4l.jpg)

The Munchkin games are also a lot of fun for two players. They're also really quick to set up, it's not too competitive and the tone of the game makes it a lot of fun.

![alt text](https://i.sstatic.net/FClUd.jpg)

A recent favorite has been Thunderstone, it's a deck building game similar to Dominion (as mentioned in other answers)

![alt text](https://i.sstatic.net/Etr2D.jpg)

Through the Ages is a great resource management game, especially if you like the Civilization video games.

![alt text](https://i.sstatic.net/fa4dx.jpg)

Finally if you're looking for something a bit more 'hard-core' I'd recommend Arkham Horror. It's tough, and it's brutal but we have a lot of fun with it two-player.

![alt text](https://i.sstatic.net/2OJ9H.jpg)

> **Comments:**
> **username_10**: Upvoted for TtA and Pandemic. I can't really recommend 2 player Munchkin, myself.  
> **username_12**: I enjoy Thunderstone and Pandemic as two-player games.  I didn't care too much for Munchkin (I've only played it with 2 players).  I've never played Through the Ages, and I've never played Arkham Horror with two people, so I can't comment on those.  
> **username_20**: Instant downvote for munchkin: not only it is a very poor game in general, but in two players is even more pointless, since its only value (besides humor) is in the interactions between lots of players. If the players are only two it becomes only a very very very poor completely luck-based race.  
> **username_21**: You can play Arkham Horror in the time it takes to play Settlers?  
> **username_21**: Agree on Pandemic; we play this with two players a lot and it works well.  Some of the roles behave differently with two players than with four, so be aware of that.  

---

### Answer by username_18 on 2010-10-20. Score: 7

[Small World](http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/40692/small-world)

This is a game for 2-5 players and is very enjoyable at each size. Two player games go very quickly and I've been known to play several games of this in an evening. The gameplay rarely gets stale, too, because of the nature of the game.

[Pandemic](http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/30549/pandemic)

This is a cooperative game for 2-4 players where each player assumes a role that grants them abilities throughout the game. Each game has the roles randomized, giving each player a chance at a different play style. A two player game is especially challenging, but still a very good time.


---

### Answer by username_22 on 2010-10-20. Score: 5

Two variants of games that are originally better suited to 3+ people:

* [Ticket to Ride: Switzerland](http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgameexpansion/30746/ticket-to-ride-switzerland) brings a board that is far tighter than the original (or the European variant).
* [Carcassonne: The Castle](http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/7717/carcassonne-the-castle) is explicitly a two-player game in which the building the courtyard of the castle is constricted by the walls.

> **Comments:**
> **username_23**: I'd add the TtR: Nordic Countries as well - it's also a 2-3 player map.  

---

### Answer by username_24 on 2010-10-20. Score: 3

I happen to love Memoir '44 and the Battlelore system by Days of Wonder. Now Fantasy Flight owns the rights to Battlelore and has also released a Westeros version based off George RR Martins A Song of Ice and Fire series. It's pretty quick and easy to set up and the system itself is very versatile. With many different games/scenarios/expansions using roughly the same rules you can pick and choose the setting and the exact game in the set that's right for you. The basic premise involves two players coordinating small units in a single battle on a hex grid based map.

I'm also a fan of classic card games including cribbage, which is played with a board, but probably not what you were going for.


---

### Answer by username_25 on 2010-10-20. Score: 3

[Ta Yü](http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/117/ta-yu) is one of my favorite 2 player games. It is a tile placing game.

The first player plays a tile in the middle of a large square gridded board. The tiles are 2x1 blocks that have a river section on them with 3-4 outlets on each tile. Each player in turn plays tiles which have to match the river flow. The object is to direct river outlets to opposite sides of the board. One player controls the top and bottom of the board, the other controls the left and right.

The score at the end is the product of the number of river outflows on each side. This forces each player to work in two directions for themselves while frustrating their opponent on two directions as well.

Nearly anyone can pick up the basics of the game quickly and it rewards repeated play.

There is also a really good three player version, but it requires that all 3 people have some experience with the game first as the players need to bid at the start of the game.


---

### Answer by username_16 on 2011-02-04. Score: 2

I can't recommend Stefan Feld's **Roma** (and its sequel, **Roma II**) enough. I can't think of many two-player games that I've played more than 100 times, but I'm sure I've topped that with Roma. First, its basic design is ingenious. The use of dice to activate cards is quite novel, and the fixed victory-point pool is such a good idea that I can't believe other games don't use it. Second, it's tense from the very beginning: both players start the game losing, and sometimes you win just by keeping your opponent from repairing his position faster than you repair yours. It has fantastically sharp gameplay. A phrase I've used to describe it is "like a knife fight in a phone booth." You don't have very much room to move, and you really don't want to make a mistake.

I also love **Attika**, a game whose reputation suffered badly by its being sold as a 2-4 player game. It's fatally flawed with 4, and not very good with 3. With 2, it's a deep and fascinating game of positioning, resource management, and timing, with two completely different ways to win. (If you have 4 players, divide the tiles and the cards into two sets and play two two-player games.)

And then there's **Innovation**, which I think is 2010's best game. It's pretty easy to learn its mechanics, but you'll play it a dozen times before you start getting good at it. It's going to top 100 plays for me before long. It's a game that you keep learning more about the more you play it. I'm beginning to believe that every single card in the deck can be crucial in the right game - I still haven't ever thought, "Oh, thank God, I drew Clothing," but I'm pretty sure that some day I will.


---

### Answer by username_26 on 2010-10-20. Score: 2

I'd suggest [Ticket to Ride](http://www.daysofwonder.com/tickettoride/en/). ([BoardGameGeek link](http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/9209/ticket-to-ride)) The rules are simple, and the game can move fairly quickly with two experienced players. Since your trying to get to different destinations each time you play, it also provides diversity when playing with two people.

> **Comments:**
> **username_27**: In particular, the Swiss expansion is built for 2-3 players.  

---

### Answer by username_28 on 2010-10-21. Score: 2

OGRE can be a good two player game. One player gets an army, the other gets a giant cyborg-tank. It's a pretty even match-up. There are some strategies that are pretty quick to learn, but you can use a variety of scenarios too.


---

### Answer by username_29 on 2011-06-17. Score: 2

I've played a ton of games, and Battle Line is among the best two player games out there.

![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/pb5vy.jpg)

[Battle Line](http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/760/battle-line)

This is a game made by the great Reiner Knizia, so already you know it's good. The way it works is there are 9 columns. On your turn you play a card onto your side of any column. Once your formation on a column can't possibly be beat by the opponent, you take that column. If you get 5 columns total, or three adjacent columns, you win.


---

### Answer by username_30 on 2011-02-03. Score: 2

(I posted this on another question about 2-player boardgames which was closed as a duplicate. I appreciate that someone has already suggested Lost Cities to this question, but my answer does go into some extra detail, so I hope you won't begrudge me reposting it here!)

## Lost Cities

I bought this game for my wife for Valentine's Day and totally got away with it - she loves it!

It's not to be confused with the Lost Cities boardgame - I'm talking about the 2 player card game. Essentially players are archaeologists setting out to discover the Lost Cities of the title. There are 5 different Lost Cities (each of a different colour), and the deck contains cards from 2-10 in each colour, and three multiplier cards. You can play a card to an "expedition" or discard one to a central pile, and then pick one up from the deck or from a central pile; the problem is, once you play a numeric card to an expedition you can no longer play a multiplier, and you can never play a lower number onto a higher one. At the end you total the value of each expedition, subtract 20, and times by the number of multiplier cards plus one (plus there's a bonus for an impressive 8-cards+ expedition).

Obviously you can lose mad points as well as gain them from starting an expedition you can't follow through with! There's a lot of strategy for a simple game, deciding when you can afford to play, when you can afford to discard, and when you just have to cling onto cards for dear life in your hand! A game takes only 5 minutes, and a match is meant to be best of three games. It's got a colourful theme, attractive (oversized) cards, and quite a lot of depth for a game that's so simple to get started with: it's a real couples game in my opinion.

The only thing I don't like about the game is that there's allegedly a 4 player variant - but to play it you're encouraged to buy a second copy of the base game just so you can add it about 20 duplicate cards to your deck. Yeah, right. This fact is not a problem if you just want a game to play as a couple though, thank goodness!

> **Comments:**
> **username_25**: I regretted losing your answer on the other question and was considering merging the questions but I see you've taken care of the issue yourself :)  

---

### Answer by username_10 on 2010-10-21. Score: 2

I'm going to recommend [Puerto Rico](http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/3076/puerto-rico). My wife and I play the [2-player variant](http://boardgamegeek.com/filepage/1583/puerto-rico-variant-for-2-players-doc) (official variant from the designer) all the time and find it quite satisfactory. Since it's the top rated game on BGG, I think it will probably appeal to both of you.

We also have been enjoying [Dungeon Lords](http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/45315/dungeon-lords) lately. It is quite a bit more complex than PR, though.

We love [Roll Through the Ages](http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/37380/roll-through-the-ages-the-bronze-age), though admittedly, we have both only ever played the version on the iPhone. The full-on [Through the Ages](http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/25613/through-the-ages-a-story-of-civilization) is a great game, but it's a long one. You'll spend your whole afternoon on anything but the introductory version of the game.

As far as games designed expressly for two players, I recently traded in a couple of games that were fairly highly rated, [Dracula](http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/7804/dracula) and [Mr. Jack](http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/21763/mr-jack), because neither of us particularly liked them.

The game I put the proceeds towards is [Claustrophobia](http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/36932/claustrophobia). It's a 2-player asymmetrical game built on direct conflict and interaction between the players. Tons of fun though, we both like it more than the two we sold put together!

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Do you have a link for the two-player rule variant for Puerto Rico?  
> **username_10**: Yes, I added the link a couple of days ago - but forgot to tell you!  
> **username_10**: @username_0 - I only recently found out that you'll only get a reply if I "@" you. I thought commenting AFTER your comment triggered a reply. So this is just to let you know that the link to the 2 player variant is, and has been, there.  

---

### Answer by username_31 on 2010-10-20. Score: 1

There's an entire [list of lists](http://www.boardgamegeek.com/wiki/page/What_to_Play_With_Your_Spouse) of games to play with your loved one on Board Game Geek. My wife enjoys the Settlers of Catan card game, but some people hate it. I recommend the Kosmos two-player games, particularly Odin's Ravens and Balloon Cup.


---

### Answer by username_28 on 2010-10-21. Score: 1

The Awful Green Things from Outer Space is a great two player game, that is always a little different thanks to the unpredictability of what each weapon will do each game.


---

### Answer by username_32 on 2010-10-20. Score: 1

Knizia's Lords series ([Minotaur Lords](http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/10908/minotaur-lords) & [Scarab Lords](http://www.funagain.com/control/product?product_id=013910)) is a lot of fun for a 2 player head-to-head card game.

It incorporates elements from area domination, as well as deck customisation (as you would in a trading-card-game). Easy to learn, hard to master!


---

### Answer by username_33 on 2010-11-16. Score: 1

[Tikal](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tikal_%28board_game%29) is a great board game for 2 to 4 players, and it plays very well with two.


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### Answer by username_34 on 2010-10-21. Score: 0

In terms of **avoiding conflict**, [ire\_and\_curses](https://boardgames.stackexchange.com/users/50/ire-and-curses) recommends [Pandemic](http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/30549/pandemic), ["where each player works together to try and halt the spread of a number of deadly diseases"](https://boardgames.stackexchange.com/questions/9/what-cooperative-board-games-are-there-that-i-could-safely-play-with-my-wife).


---

### Answer by username_35 on 2010-10-20. Score: 0

My wife's favorite game is [Balloon Cup](http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/5716/balloon-cup). 2-player only, plays quickly, nice components.


---

### Answer by username_37 on 2011-06-17. Score: 0

Not really comparable to Settlers of Catan, but **Blokus Duo** is pretty good 2-player game. Price tag of $10 it's worth a look, I've played it dozens of times with my Brother already and it's pretty fun, simple, but challenging.

> **Comments:**
> **username_38**: The regular Blokus Classic (4 colors) is also an excellent 2-player game, with more strategy and less randomness than when it is played with 4 players.  

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### Answer by username_36 on 2010-10-26. Score: -1

I recently had fun playing [The Merchant of Venus](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merchant_of_venus) 2 player, after not having played it for a few years.


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