Our family enjoys the game Apples to Apples.  Unfortunately, it really requires four players to play properly, and we only have three fluent readers thus far, so it’s a challenge.  We were messing around the other day, though, creating other ways to use the cards, and Michael came up with a great variation that’s perfect for two.  (You can play it with three or four players, if you want, but it’s ideal for two.)  He calls it Pick Five, and you play like this:

1. Deal each player five green (adjective) cards.
2. Lay out five red (noun) cards in a column, face-up, in the center of the table.
3. Each player must match all five of the cards in his hand to the cards on the table, one green card per red card, as best he can.  He plays these, face-down, beside the cards to which he’s matched them.
4. When both (all) players have played their cards, begin going through the matches, one red card at a time.  Each red card is awarded to the player all players agree has the best match.  “Tie” cards are ignored and discarded.
5. Play for five hands, and the player who collects the most red cards wins.
6. In the event of  a tie, play another, sudden-death round.  In the event that this round ends in a tie, leave the tied red card(s) in place, and deal each player an additional hand of five green cards.  Players play their new green cards as best they’re able, discarding any extras.

Note that this game works best when at least one player is a reasonable adult! 😉  Bickering siblings might not do so well at this game without some refereeing, given that players have to agree on winning cards.