I need a suggestion for a game to buy to play with my elderly Mom. Since I don't get out much anymore, we spend a lot of time just hanging out, and it's pretty boring. I thought I might find a couple games to buy for Christmas.

It needs to be a game for only two people to play.

She is 82. She likes Scrabble, but beats my behind so bad, it's not much fun for me. I like Boggle, but I beat her behind, no fun for her. But, in general, we do like word games.

She has no desire to learn Backgammon (which I like a lot, but know no one else who plays! I have to play my Palm Pilot) or chess.

She's ok with card games, but I would need to find a way for us to hold cards... I think their are "holders" for cards you can buy, but I don't know where to look for them locally. We have never learned to play Gin etc... but we used to play 4 handed Pinnochle a lot. Euchre bored her, but she would play. She played Hossenpepper (murdered the spelling) and Hearts too. This gives you an idea of what kinds of card games she played, if you have any of those you can recommend we could learn.

There is one game we have that we play sometimes, but be darned if I can think of the name! (I am at work so cannot check) It has a board that folds out that has the cards of a regular deck printed on it, arbitrarily, in rows. You draw cards from a pile, and then put markers on the board on a card that matches your drawn card, trying to form 5 in a row. First one to get 3 sets of 5 in a row wins. She likes it. But that's the only game we play.

The Parcheesi, Sorry, etc would be so simple she would be bored, and I've tried a friend's Trivial Pursuit, but it does not do well with only 2 - LOL!

I don't have the opportunity to get out and play games anywhere to get exposed to what is out there in person. So any help you can give would be great.

Jules

there is a game called "rummikub". it's played with tiles like scrabble but it's similar to a card game so to speak.

http://www.rummikub.com/

Here is a site with tons of board/card game info. Maybe this can help? Give it a try maybe.

Mark

http://boardgames.about.com/library/.../aa012300c.htm

Look on the sides of the page. There seems to be quite a bit of info to click on. FAQs, History, Information to help you choose games that are right for you and so on.

i believe you are describing "sequence"

another fun game is "picture picture" it has large 8 x 8 or 10 x 10 pictures with lots of different items. you have to use the letters a-z to use the correct name for the different items in each picture.

mah jong is challenging also.

hugs and prayers

How about Dominoes????
My Dad loves this game and is even teaching it to the grandchildren.

My parents showed up camping this summer with a really cool game called, Blockus.
It is a strategy game that has a bunch of different shaped pieces that you use to try and dominate the board. We have played this for so many hours, that I had to take it home away from my parentsLOL.
Good Luck I hope you find something.
Tracy

we were given a game called Mancala....looked too simple to be intersting at first, but it's strangely addictive and requires FAR more strategy than u would expect when u first read the rules.....it's a counting/strategy/capture game....very difficult to describe, but great for 2 players.

good luck with your search for the perfect game....let us know if u find something unusual that works!

Sequence is the name of the game I could not think of! Very good Farm Wife!

You all have given me some great games to check out. Thanks so much!

Funny that you mention things like Dominoes. I have a domino set I purchased for a game we called "chicken feet" that you play with a minimum of 4 players... but in all my years, I have never played, or seen anyone else play the actual game of dominoes! LOL!

Tracy, can the Blockus game be played by just two people?

off to look these games up! Thanks so much! I knew I could just go pick some up off the shelf, but getting recommendations is so much better!

Jules

We have Blockus also, which is a lot of fun. The travel edition has smaller pieces that might be hard for her to handle, so I'd recommend the regular size.

Hello: How about Canasta? Two can play but to me it seems more difficult. It is wonderful that your mother likes games to keep her mind sharp. Regards, Lil