Two-player Shanghai allows two people to play against each other on the same computer, taking turns using the same mouse. Each player's cursor is a different color. A computer voice announces the beginning of each player's turn and a buzzer signals the end of the player's turn.

There are two ways to play a two-player game of Classic Shanghai:

- Most Tiles (Count Down Timer)

- Best Time (Count Up Timer)

In the Most Tiles (Count Down Timer) game, the object is to have the highest score (tile count) at the end of the game. A turn ends when the player's timer (counting the seconds down from the 30-second default setting) runs out, or the player makes a match, whichever occurs first. Then the second player takes his/her turn and tries to match a pair within the set time limit, and so on. The player gets two points for finding a match within the time limit, and 0 points if s/he's unsuccessful.

In the Best Time (Count Up Timer) game, the object is to have the lowest total time at the end of the game. An endless timer runs (counting seconds upwards) during each player's turn. The first player's turn ends only when the player has matched one pair of tiles. Then the second player takes his/her turn at finding a match within the shortest possible amount of time. To Pause the game, you can select Pause from the File menu, or press Ctrl-P.

- From the Title screen click on Shanghai, and when the layout appears on the screen, go to the Games menu in the Menu bar and select 2-Player.
- To start a two-player game from within another game, go to the Games menu in the Menu bar and select 2-Player.
- When the Two-Player setup screen appears, select your options, then click OK to begin playing.
- To change layouts, go to the Layout menu in the Menu bar and click on the layout of your choice.
- To change tile sets, go to the Tiles menu in the Menu bar and click on the tile set of your choice.
- To change two-player games, go to the Games menu and select 2-Player. Make your selection on the dialog box.
- To turn off tile animations, click on Tile Animation in the Preferences menu.
- To return to Classic Shanghai or another game from Two-Player mode, just pull down the Games menu and select the game of your choice.

- Plan your next move during your opponent's turn.
- When the clock is running, you might want to turn off the tile animations.
- When sharing a mouse, make sure you don't click after your turn ends, or you'll score points for your opponent!
- Listen for audible cues, especially in the Most Tiles game, and watch the cursor - if it changes color, your turn has ended.