Máté Lencse
Educator, game designer, founder of PlayWise
Máté has been regularly playing modern board games and classic abstract board games since 2013. He plays because he loves to. He plays because as an educator, it is his most important motivational and developmental tool. He plays because as a father, it is one of the highest quality times spent with his daughter. He plays because it adds to his marriage. He plays to get to know games and as a game designer, to be able to create new ones. Thus, it's not surprising that he often plays through 15-20 games weekly. Learn more about him and his background on his author page or follow him on social media:
Introduction
Not every game works well with two players, even if the box says it does. And then there are games labeled "2-4 players" that, in reality, shine best as a duel—I'd say Azul is a great example of that.
But when I talk about two-player games, I mean those that were designed specifically for two people—no more, no less. Since their mechanics were built around this exact player count, they are far more likely to offer a well-balanced, engaging experience.
Personally, I love these games. And some of them even involve reading. So, let's take a look at a short list of great two-player games that integrate reading!
Two-Player Games for Reading
Beer & Bread
A beautifully balanced two-player game of card drafting, resource management, and strategic decision-making
Tools
60 game cards, 2 player boards, 2 scoring markers, 10 resource tokens, 5 upgrade tiles, 2 multipurpose markers, and a rulebook
Skills Developed
Reading comprehension, strategic planning, resource management, and decision-making
Codenames Duet
A classic game with a familiar gameplay, optimized for two players
Tools
200 double-sided word cards, 15 green agent cards, 11 timer tokens, 1 assassin card, 1 key card stand, 100 challenge cards, a key card holder, and a rulebook
Skills Developed
Word association, inference skills, critical thinking, and verbal communication
Targi
A clever two-player worker placement game with tactical positioning, resource management, and intense competition
Tools
80 cards, 45 goods tokens, 15 victory point tokens, 6 tribal markers, 4 player figures, 1 robber figure, and a rulebook
Skills Developed
Strategic thinking, resource management, tactical positioning
The Fox in the Forest Duet
Two-player? Trick-taking? And actually good? Yes!
Tools
30 beautifully illustrated cards, 22 forest tokens, a game board, a tracker token, and a rulebook
Skills Developed
Strategic thinking, cooperative decision-making, reading comprehension, and inference skills
Tides of Time
Two-player drafting, combo-building, and competition
Tools
18 oversized beautifully illustrated cards, 4 relic tokens, and a scorepad with a rulebook
Skills Developed
Reading comprehension, strategic planning, pattern recognition, and decision-making
Note from Máté
For me, these moments are therapeutic. I open up more easily, and I help children open doors as well. In a large group, I get loud too—jokes, teasing, laughter. But with just two, we talk. About things we wouldn't normally discuss.
And all the while, we just play and play and play…
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