It probably represents the purest form of board gaming, where similar to chess – there is you, your opponent, and the board.
There are no issues around plotting or balancing, as most of the time, both players start their game on the same foot. The beauty with two-player board games is that they mitigate most of the concerns associated with playing board games with a group. If you too, then perhaps you need a shortlist of the best 2 player board games out there? But what if you have a gaming partner, but not a gaming group? In fact, some would argue that the ultimate board gaming experience is achieved when playing with two players. Traditionally, board games were social activities enjoyed in a group.