[mattcdrake]

My wife and I have gotten a lot of mileage out of playing these 1v1 games:

  - Twilight Struggle  
  - Hive  
  - Patchwork

Choosing one really depends on mood. Twilight Struggle is the kind of game you have to buckle up and commit to playing for a while, but it's worth it. Hive and Patchwork are more bite-sized - both have enough complexity to be interesting, but with a much lower time commitment. You also have to refer to the rulebook less often with those two games. :)

[sshine]

Adding to 1v1 games:

Race for the Galaxy

It also works for several players, but at its heart, it’s a highly competitive game that you can play casually until you develop strategy.

[mattcdrake]

Thanks for the recommendation! Several friends have also told me about this game - I think I'll go ahead and order it now.