Schotten Totten

Two Scottish clans arguing about where the fence goes, settled with poker hands.

Reiner Knizia's 1999 design is one of the great two-player card games and has never really been improved on. Nine stones sit between you and your opponent. You each play cards on your side of each stone, three per side, and whoever forms the better combination — runs, sets, straight flushes, the usual hierarchy — claims it. Win five stones, or three in a row, and it is over.

Everything interesting comes from the fact that you cannot be strong everywhere. Committing your good cards to one stone means conceding another, and a stone can be claimed the moment the outcome is mathematically certain, which forces you to count what your opponent could still possibly hold. IELLO's edition has the tactics variant included. Twenty minutes, pocket-sized, and it will outlast most of your collection.

Perfect for: Couples, commutes, and anyone who thinks card games peaked with cribbage.

2 players | 20 minutes | Age 8+