How To Play Clue With 2 Players | Read Before Playing
We are an affiliate. We really hope you enjoy the products we recommend! When you click on links we may receive a commission or other compensation at no cost to you. Thank you for coming to our site and for any links you use. We really appreciate it.
Want to solve the classic murder mystery but there are only two of you? Then this article will delight you. It will teach you how to play three amazing variations of Clue you can enjoy with 2 players.
Make sure you read on to the third variation. The third variation keeps you guessing until the end. There will also be a little suspense at the final accusation.
Table of Contents
Official Rules
There are now official rules on how to play Clue with 2 players. The game works exactly the same as normal Clue but with a small variation to the set up and play.
This is quite a basic variation and has some drawbacks. I have included this variation to give you a base on which to judge the other two.
Set up
First take the red bonus cards and put them to one side. They are not used in two player Clue.
Place all six weapons in the centre of the board as normal. Then each player should select the character they will play: Plum, White, Scarlet, Green, Mustard, or Peacock.
Sort the black Clue cards into three piles for weapon, suspect, and room decks.
Shuffle each deck and then take the top card from each deck, putting them into the murder envelope.
Sort the black Clue cards into three piles for weapon, suspect, and room decks. Shuffle each deck and then take the top card from each deck, putting them into the murder envelope.
Now deal the rest of the Clue cards out to each player.
Play
You can now play Clue as per the normal game. When you ask a question that your opponent can’t answer (they must always answer if they can) then you will get to look at one of the four cards lying at the side.
Once viewed, put it back exactly in the same place. The game then continues as normal until it is won.
Pros
Cons
Ghost hands
Playing Clue with 2 players has a problem as each player has 50% of the cards. This method is a wonderful solution to that proiblem and will improve your enjoyment of Clue.
It works by creating 1, 2, or 4 ghost hands, giving you 2 players plus 3-6 ghost hands.
Set up
The red bonus cards are not used in this 2 player variation and so can be put them to one side.
As per the previous Official Rules, set up the game normally until the three cards have been put into the murder envelope.
Now put all the cards together and give them a really good shuffle. Deal the cards out between the players to the number below and then create further hands for the ghost players.
| Number of Ghost hands | Player or Ghost hand | Number of Clue cards | Die rolls |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Players hands | 5 | |
| Ghost hands | 4 | Even for hand 1 Odd for hand 2 | |
| 3 | Players hands | 6 | |
| Ghosts hands | 2 | 1 or 4 for hand 1 2 or 5 for hand 2 3 or 6 for hand 3 | |
| 6 | Players hands | 3 | |
| Ghosts hands | 2 | Die roll represents hand e.g. roll 1 for hand 1 |
Play
The game now proceeds as normal. When the opponent can’t answer Clue question then the player will roll the dice to determine which ghost hand they can look at according to the above table.
View any of the cards in the ghost hand and replace it without the opponent seeing. Play as normal to the end of the game.
Pros
Cons
Revolving hands
Similar to Ghost Hands this variation is even better. It opens exciting opportunities for choices and strategies.
This is a fun strategy that creates intrigue and suspense. One player may have knowledge that is not shared with their opponent. Using the 3rd pile a player can conceal a key card.
Set up
As per the other variations the red bonus cards are not used here either. Put them to one side.
Set up as normal until you get to the point where the three cards have been put into the murder envelope.
Now combine the three Clue card piles and shuffle well. Dealing 5 cards to each player and then leaving the rest in a draw pile at the side of the board.
Play
Here is the main difference to the game. Play as normal and when a Clue question is asked that cannot be answered by the opponent. Then the player asking the question picks up a Clue card from the top of the draw pile.
They must then discard a card (that is not the card they just picked up) to the bottom of the draw pile.
This is where the player discarding the card now knows a clue that is at the bottom of the pile that the opponent cannot know by asking questions.
Eventually that card may end up in the opponent’s hand so you can use that Clue card with guesses to narrow down what you do want to reveal.
This also leads to some really enjoyable mystery and when the final accusation is made means there may still be some level of uncertainty.
This really does open up some strategic choices to be made when discarding a known card or one that is unknown to your opponent. It also gives you some choices when asking questions.
Pros
Cons
Conclusion
That is the round up of three of my favourite variations on how to play Clue with 2 players. Clue will always be best played with 3 or more players but when there are only the two of you, these variations will make Clue a really fun choice.
My choice would be the revolving hands as this has the most options for deception and leaves some tension when making the accusation at the end.
However, give all three a try and see which best suits you.
If you love clue then perhaps you may also like the 5 Fun Board Games Like Clue You’ll Love To Play. Or maybe you;ll have some fun travelling the world in a game from 10 Amazing Games About Traveling The World.
