Board games for 2 players - me & ds(11)

[WeAllHaveWings]

ds and I like board games, dh not interested so any games have to be good for 2 players only.

We got Small World and Forbidden Island last year and tbh even with the rave reviews/recommendations we found they were a bit meh! Maybe its because there are only 2 players.

Any recommendations for this year?

Some games we have and he likes Cludeo, Monopoly, Survive Escape from Atlantis, Trival Pursit (family edition from 1980s!!), Game of Life.

I see Ticket to Ride recommended sometimes, is it still good for just 2 players?

Solitaire
Backgammon
Chess
3 d four in a row.
Bagatelle

Card games
Piquet
Snap
Pelmanism
Racing demon not bad
Cribbage, I think
Beggar my neighbour

Headbands

Not tried Carcassonne the castle, but can confirm the standard game works fine for 2 players. It's a different game with more (encourages alliances etc), but it's very enjoyable for just 2 - DH and I play all the time

Seconding Monopoly Deal (the card game), my almost 10yo's favourite. Works very well for 2, highly addictive!

He is getting Machi Koro for Christmas, I've researched it and it looks good, so seconding that suggestion as well!

Other very good 2 player games:

Jaipur
Ticket to Ride Nordic version
Splendor (quite abstract and thinky but fun!)

We also like Love Letter as 2-player (although some prefer it with more players). It comes in various incarnations, eg Love Letter Batman, Love Letter Hobbit etc.

Oh, seconding Quirkle as well. Fun abstract.

Another vote for ticket to ride Nordic version-it is specially set up for 2-3 players. The other versions aren't so good with two.

We have an aus game called squatter which is a bit like monopoly but all about sheep farming,

We bought Sherlock Holmes Cleudo a couple of years ago ( 'tis okay but , it's Cleudo really)

Big Bang Theory Game (haven't taken it out of the box yet )

We play Monopoly Without Rules. So we have 4 hotels on a street or a hotels and 5 houses if we want. Or go round the board the wrong way.
Livens it up a bit.

DS wants to play "Land On My Property and Have To Drink Gin" but I'd be addled and singing before I got to Pall Mall.

221B Baker Street! They've just re-released it with new packaging and it's very smart. Excellent 2+ player game and if your DS likes Cluedo it should be a hit. It's a bit more in-depth than Cluedo but I think should be fine for an 11-year-old.

Ticket to Ride is still good fun with two.

What about Seven Wonders or Dominion?

Sweaterweather I've bought that for my Sherlock-mad DD so pleased it's good.

I hadn't seen Carcassonne:Castle, but Amazon US says it's for 2 players and it has some good reviews !

adds to want list

How do you get hold of the Nordic version of Ticket To Ride?

Ticket to Ride Nordic:

www.amazon.co.uk/Days-Wonder-Ticket-Ride-Nordic/dp/B001E9641K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1446147140&sr=8-1&keywords=ticket+to+ride+nordic

my DD is 11 and loves Rubix Race and is far to quick for me! but she also loves playing cards. rummy etc.

Thanks for all the suggestions, we got Rubiks Race, Abalone and Ticket to Ride Europe (not sure why I got Europe rather than the Nordic recommended ).

Rubiks Race and Abalone have been damp squibs for him (although I like them but dh wont play me!!)

Ticket to Ride has went down well and we've played a dozen or so times. Found it much better than SmallWorld which we got last year. It is ds's birthday in February, if we have TTR Europe is it still worth buying TTR Nordic?