For playing a deeper, more complex game, opt for The Castles of Burgundy. For the shorter, simpler game, go with Kingdomino. The two games seem similar but feel dramatically different. Both games perfectly balance the competition for tiles with the personal satisfaction of building your personal province without direct interference. Certain two player games that will be discussed below, particularly those of European origin, use the Spanish decks, which are normally 40-card variants.
Certain games may also use additional Joker cards. In both games, players take tiles from a central space and add the tiles to their personal princedom or kingdom board (depending on the game). All you need to play two player card games is the standard Anglo American 52-card deck, which consists of 4 suits of 13 cards.
For me, it's a toss-up between one of the best board games around in all categories, The Castles of Burgundy, and a solid game with killer two-player tile-laying action, Kingdomino. Many people have played Carcassonne, one of the most popular entries of the genre, but it's actually not the best example of the game - and certainly not the best for two players. Tile-placement games are a mainstay for many board game enthusiasts, in part because of the fun of building a unique board each time you play.
