How to play with two people on one device
In every one of these games you pick the "2 players" mode above the board, and each person plays on their own turn by tapping or clicking the screen. The game shows whose turn it is, checks that every move is legal and works out who wins, so nobody has to keep score by hand.
You don't need a constant connection: the pages run in your browser and nothing is sent to a server. There is no sign-up and no account to save games to. If you would rather play against the computer, the same game has a mode for that with three difficulty levels.
Quick games for a few spare minutes
When you only have a short window, these are the fastest picks. You can learn them in seconds, and a round usually lasts between one and ten minutes.
| Game | What it is | Typical length |
|---|---|---|
| Tic-tac-toe (noughts and crosses) | Line up three marks on a 3 × 3 grid; there are also 4 × 4 and 5 × 5 versions and an "ultimate" mode | 1 to 3 minutes |
| Nim | Take objects from different piles in turn; whoever takes the last one wins (or loses, depending on the variant) | 2 to 5 minutes |
| Connect 4 | Drop discs to make a line of four; there are larger boards and a PopOut variant | 5 to 10 minutes |
| Memory match | Flip cards two at a time and keep the pairs; the player with the most pairs wins | 5 to 10 minutes |
| Dots and Boxes | Join dots with lines; whoever closes a box keeps it and plays again | 5 to 15 minutes |
Deeper strategy games
If you have more time and feel like thinking, these board games give you longer rounds and plenty to learn. The rules are easy to explain, even if mastering them can take years.
- Checkers (draughts): each player moves pieces diagonally and captures by jumping over the opponent's; you win when the other side has no moves left. There are classic rules and a flying kings version.
- Reversi: you place discs that flip the opponent's when they are trapped between two of yours; at the end, the player with the most discs of their colour wins.
- Gomoku: line up five stones on a big board where nothing falls; moving first is an advantage, so it pays to take turns opening.
- Mancala: you sow seeds around the pits and capture the opponent's by landing in the right spot; it is one of the oldest known board games.
- Hex: each player tries to connect two opposite sides of a board of hexagons; there are never draws, and a single move can change the whole game.
- Nine men's morris: three phases (placing, moving and flying), and every time you form a mill of three in a row you remove one of the opponent's pieces.
Sea battle: a game with hidden information
Sea battle has a challenge of its own when it is played on a single device: each player hides a fleet that the other must not see. To solve this, the game includes a "pass the phone" screen between turns: the board is hidden before the device changes hands and only shown again when it is the other person's turn.
Each player places five ships on a 10 × 10 grid (by hand or at random), then you take turns firing shots until one fleet is completely sunk. It makes a good ten to fifteen minute game.
How to choose for the moment
| Situation | Suggested games |
|---|---|
| A few minutes in a queue or a waiting room | Tic-tac-toe, Nim, Memory match |
| A trip or a long meal with time to spare | Checkers, Reversi, Mancala, sea battle |
| Playing with a child | Memory match, Connect 4, tic-tac-toe, Dots and Boxes |
| Against someone who is good at one game | Hex, Gomoku or Nine men's morris, taking turns to start |
| A bigger challenge | Connect 4 on a large board, ultimate tic-tac-toe |
Tips for playing comfortably on a phone
- Put the device on a table between you if the game shows the whole board: both players can see it without passing it back and forth.
- Take turns going first: in many board games the first mover has a slight edge.
- Use full screen mode or turn the phone sideways if the board is wide.
- In games with hidden information, like sea battle, don't peek at the screen when the phone is handed over.
- Use "Undo" only if you both agree: it helps when someone taps the wrong square by accident.
A good way to learn and think better
Playing head to head is also practice: anticipating your opponent's move, calculating a few moves ahead and spotting patterns are skills that improve with every game. Many of these games have been studied by mathematicians: Nim, for example, has a known winning strategy, and Hex can never end in a draw.
If you want to measure your level, play each other first and then try the computer on the easy setting to see how far you can get.
Frequently asked questions
Can two people play on one phone?
Yes. In each game choose the "2 players" mode and take turns tapping the screen. You don't have to install anything or stay online.
Do I need to create an account or sign up?
No. The games run in your browser with no sign-up, and nothing is saved to an account. High scores and settings stay only on your device.
What is the best game for two people?
It depends on the time you have and your ages: for a short break, try tic-tac-toe, Nim or Memory match; for something longer, checkers, Reversi, Mancala or sea battle.
How do we play sea battle with two people if each of us has to hide our fleet?
The game hides the board before you pass the phone and only shows it when it is the other person's turn, so nobody sees the other fleet.
Can I also play against the computer?
Yes. Every board game has a mode against the computer with three difficulty levels, in addition to the two-player mode.