Top Card Games for Couples: Fun and Competitive Games for Two

Nowadays, everyone enjoys playing board games and card games. These games help people break the ice, become closer and have a great time as well. The same is true for couples. This is why we have compiled a selection of card games for couples which you can play with your spouse. 

Do check them out!

Classic Card Games for Couples  

Let’s now explore some card games for couples ​that you can play with your significant other and have a great time together. 

Rummy   

It is one of the most popular games currently that is played in India. In this game, each player has to have a combination of 3 or more matching cards, which is known as a meld. 

Since a deck of cards has about 52 cards, it means that you have to arrange the cards in mathematically precise combinations of similar cards. Each player receives about 13 cards which they have to arrange into a sequence with Ace in the beginning, and King at the end. 

However, in a Rummy game with 2 people, each player receives about 10 cards, along with optional joker cards. 

The other 38-40 cards are arranged face-down, which is known as the stock. 

You can play your turn by:

• Drawing the topmost card from the stock
• Borrow from the discard pile and add it to your hand 

If you manage to empty your hand of cards after several turns, then you will have won the game.

Gin Rummy  

One of the differences between gin Rummy and Rummy is that this doesn’t utilize the joker cards. 

This means that each player is given about 10 cards each, while the remaining 40 cards form the stock. 

From this stock, you have to use the top-most card and turn it face up to form the discard pile. After this, the player who isn’t a dealer can choose to either take the top-most card from the discard pile or not. Both the dealer and the players can refuse to do so.

Both of you should aim to form melds, just like in Rummy and earn 100 points. The value of the cards can be determined in the following manner:

• Each “face” card, like the King, Queen, or Jack is worth about 10 points 
• Each “number” card, that bears numbers like 10, 20, etc. 

In the beginning: 

• The cards are spread out on the table
• Both players draw 1 card each.

The player whose card has the highest value or denomination deals the 10 cards to the other player.

Following that, the other non-dealer begins the game by either drawing from the stock or discard pile, with the opponent able to do the same. The game progresses like this until one of the players has a minimum of 3 combinations that have the same rank or suit. 

You should note that the 3 combinations can be formed only from the 10 cards you hold in your hand. Additionally, you can combine the ace with the deuce, not the king. 

Now, the winner of this Rummy card game will be the one who has a total of 100 points formed from the sequence with king in the beginning, and ace in the last. 

Lastly, just call out “gin” to win. 

Modern Card Games for Couples

Now, what kind of card-based games can you play in modern times? Let’s explore below. 

Exploding Kittens  

You should check out this game to have a great time with your significant other. 

The game has: 

• A deck of 122 cards
• Involves drawing cards from the face-down deck. The ends if you draw an ‘Exploding Kitten’ Card. 

At the beginning of the game, you have to separate the ‘Exploding Kitten’ cards from the file. You should find about 9 of these cards. After doing so, you should use the cards that have a paw print in the corner, since the 2 of you are playing. 

Once you’ve sorted out all the paw-print cards, deal 1 Defuse card to your spouse, and yourself. Following that, you should return the other Defuse cards to the pile.

Following all these steps, you should shuffle the deck, and deal 7 cards to your spouse, and yourself. 

Now, you should ensure that you insert the Exploding Kittens cards without paw prints back into the deck and shuffle it to commence the game. Also, ensure that you keep a discard pile. 

To play your turns, you can either pass or put a card face-up on the discard pile, and then read the instructions, after which you can draw another card, and as many as you like. 

You can end your turn by drawing the topmost card from the draw pile, and praying that it isn’t an ‘Exploding Kitten’. 

The player who hasn’t ‘exploded’ by the end of the game wins it. 

Love Letter  

This is one of the fun games for couples you should definitely check out. The aim of this game is to gather as many favor tokens as possible to win the ‘hand of the princess’. It contains about 21 character cards, 6 reference cards, 13 favor tokens and 1 cloth bag.

At the beginning of the game, deal a reference card to each player, and keep the remaining cards back in the box or bag. Then, you should shuffle the character cards to form the deck and place them face down. 

After that, you have to draw 3 of the topmost cards from the deck and keep it face down next to the pile since you’re playing a 2 player game. 

Then, you have to deal one card each from the deck to yourself and your spouse to form a starting hand. 

During each turn, you have to draw one card from the deck, and then play 1 of your 2 cards. You should keep the card you play face up, while the other card remains in your hand. 

The round will end when either one of you remains, or the deck gets over. After one of you has collected enough favor tokens, you’re declared a winner. 

Cooperative Card Games for Couples  

As you know, not all games have to be competitive. There are some card games for couples where you can collaborate with your partner as well, as seen below. 

The Mind  

Two of the things that make this card game interesting are the fact that you can’t communicate with your partner and that there are no defined turns. 

So, your chances of winning depend on your ability to read your opponent’s expression and guess the value of their cards. 

This game involves:

• 100 number cards
• 12 level cards
• 5 life cards
• 3 shuriken cards 

During each round of the game, known as ‘Levels’, both of you shall deal each the number of cards applicable for each round to each other. In simple terms, for Level 1, you shall deal with each other 1 card each, for Level 2, you shall deal with each other 2 cards each, etc. 

For each ‘level’ of the game, you have to put your cards down on an open stack. However, as we mentioned previously, you cannot reveal any information about your cards, when you’re stacking them.

For a 2 player game, you will deal 1 life and shuriken card each to your partner, and keep the remaining at your side. After that, you will have to stack 12 of the level cards from levels 12 to 1, on top of each other. You must ensure that the level 1 card is kept on the top of pile. 

Keep the level cards that you haven’t used back inside the box/bag. To begin, you must place your palm down on the table. After that, you must keep placing your cards on the top of the table in ascending order, from the lowest number card value first to the highest.

If you have two cards that are consecutively aligned, like the numbers 28 and 29, then you can play one card after the other. After arranging all the cards in the respective sequence, the level is said to be complete. 

Now, you will lose one life if you place a card in improper sequence. If you use the throwing star, then your spouse has to give up the card with the lowest value. 

When both of you will have completed the stack, you will have won the game. 

Hanabi  

Hanabi is one of the other fun games for couples that you can play with your spouse. 

The objective of this game is that you have to build a colorful pile of fireworks with: 

• 5 cards (1 each of white, red, blue, yellow and green)
• You have to form a series of cards from 1 to 5 with the same colored cards.

You can find the following in this game: 

• 60 Hanabi cards (6 suits or sets of 10 cards each); The 10 cards each comprise of three number 1 cards, two number 2 cards, two number 3 cards, two number 4 cards and 1 number 5 cards)
• 8 Clock tokens
• 4 Fuse cards

Before you begin the game, you should place: 

• 8 of the clock tokens face up
• 4 Fuse cards nearby

After that, you have to shuffle 50 of the cards, and place them face down to form the deck. To play your turn, you can either provide information, discard or draw a card. 

When you provide information, you should place one of the blue cards on the table, and you must return the blue card to the box lid when you’re discarding a card. Alternatively, you must draw a card from your hand to play your turn.

If your card adds to a fireworks collection, then it’s great, or else you’ll have to remove the topmost fuse card and keep it on the box lid. 

There are 3 main ways in which the game can end:

• If you draw the 3rd black Fuse card
• When the fireworks collections are complete
• All cards have been picked up from the pile.

You can calculate your score after you complete the fireworks collection. 

Tips for Enjoyable Card Game Nights  

You can make your time with your partner more engaging by enjoying a game of play Rummy or trying out other couple card games together.

Some of them include preparing your room, selecting the right soundtracks to play, and also choosing the right type of snacks. You can consider choosing crisps, crackers, etc. along with som finger food, to avoid having to wash your hands constantly. 

Lastly, you must remember that you’re playing card games for couples, so you should balance both your competitiveness and playfulness. That’s because ultimately, it’s about the experience of playing together, which will promote intimacy. 

Read for more info: Top Rummy Tips & Tricks – Master Rummy with the Winning Strategies | A23 

Wrapping Up

So, do remember to have a card game night, like date night, as they will help you discover new sides about your partner and bring you together. 

Furthermore, these card games for couples will help you develop your competitive streak and improve your power of concentration, memory etc. So, do check them out.
We would recommend starting with the gin Rummy card game as it’s a simple yet great way to work your way up to other games.