How to Play Kemps Card Game
Psst – can you keep a secret? Good! Because Kemps is the ultimate test of teamwork and sneaky signaling.
Work with your partner to score those four-of-a-kind, but tread carefully – one false step and your opponents could rain on your card-swapping parade.
Are you ready for a game of cunning cooperation?
How to Play Kemps Card Game
What You’ll Need
- A standard deck of 52 playing cards
- 4 players divided into two teams of two (perfect for double dates or team game nights!)
- A silent understanding with your teammate (wink wink, nudge nudge) – or develop your own secret signal for ultimate teamwork fun!
Looking for a gorgeous set of cards to play with? These are my personal favs:
Objective
Your primary goal in Kemps is to win rounds by collecting a hand of four cards of the same rank – also known as a Four of a Kind.
But the twist?
Winning isn’t just about the cards you hold; it’s about the nonverbal connection with your teammate. To secure a point, once you’ve assembled your quartet of cards, your partner must spot your success and declare it by shouting “Kemps!”
However, be wary of false calls.
An incorrect shout not only leaves you red-faced but also costs you a point. What’s more, the game’s vigilant nature means that opposing teams can snag points if they notice someone else’s winning hand.
Setting Up
Begin the game by forming teams of two.
Each game accommodates up to six pairs of players, each vying for victory. Before you shuffle or deal any cards, take a few precious moments to decide on a discreet, table-appropriate gesture to communicate a winning hand with your partner.
It could be a tap, a glance, or a slight movement that might fly under your opponents’ radar.
Positioning is crucial; teammates should sit opposite each other, ideally in a diagonal arrangement that prevents direct line of sight. This setup not only stops teams from catching each other’s cues easily but also adds an extra challenge in monitoring your rivals.
Next steps involve one player shuffling the deck and dealing four cards to each participant. The remaining deck is placed at the center, with the top four cards laid out face up next to it.
And with this, the stage is set for an epic game of Kemps!
Gameplay
Kemp‘s essence lies in its frantic pace.
Once those middle cards are revealed, players may swap out a single card from their hand with a center card.
Remember, this is a free-for-all scramble; everyone acts simultaneously, trying to outmanoeuvre the others. There are no structured turns, you just play when you want, taking and placing cards from the middle cards you please.
After a minute or so, if nobody wants any cards in the middle, the dealer discards the four cards and deals out four new cards. The process then begins again.
Keep going until someone slyly accrues a Four of a Kind and their teammate detects and declares it by shouting “Kemps.”
Reveal the winning hand, score a point, shuffle the cards, and you’re ready for another round. But beware of missteps!
If a call of “Kemps” is amiss, it’ll cost you a point, and the game will roll on.
If you sense another team is on the cusp of victory, shout “Cut” to challenge them. Guess right, and you’ll gain a point. Guess wrong, and like an ill-fated bluff, you’ll drop a point, but the game will continue.
You can play up to as many points as you set. Seven is a good average.
Rule Variants
Spice up the game with a few common variations:
- Signal Rule: After a round win, other teams can try to guess the victors’ chosen signal. Guess correctly, and the winners lose their hard-earned point. This twist, which you can invoke only once, ensures that signals stay secret and subtle.
- Joker Cards: Introducing jokers as wild cards throws in an element of surprise and adds to the tactical depth. Agree on the jokers’ powers beforehand, but treating them like wild cards is the common play, expanding strategy and luck in equal measure.
- Five-Card Deal: Upping the deal from four to five cards masks the tell-tale sign of a complete hand, since players with a perfect set will avoid swapping cards, making the search for Four of a Kind both trickier and more thrilling.
What are the rules for Kemps card game?
Kemps is a fast-paced card game where teamwork and secret signals are key. Here’s how it works:
- Teams of Two: Players work together in pairs.
- Four and Swap: Deal four cards to each player and four face-up in the center. Players continuously swap cards from their hand with the center cards, aiming to get four-of-a-kind.
- Secret Signal: Players decide on a silent signal with their teammate to indicate four-of-a-kind.
- Yell “Kemp!”: If a teammate sees the signal and believes they have four-of-a-kind, they yell “Kemp!” A successful call scores a point.
- Cutting In (Optional): An opponent can yell “Cut!” if they suspect someone has four-of-a-kind before their teammate yells “Kemp!” Reveal the cards – a correct guess earns the opponent a point, a wrong guess earns a penalty point for their team.
What are good Kemps signals?
The perfect Kemp signal needs to be subtle, easy for your teammate to recognize, but hard for your opponents to spot. Think coughs, foot taps, scratches, adjusting jewelry, or subtle facial expressions.
You can even agree on a fake signal with your teammate to throw your opponents off track.
The most important thing is to keep your signal simple, practice beforehand, and try changing your signal every game to keep your opponents guessing!
Wrapping Up
Kemps is a terrific team-based game where success hinges not just on the luck of the draw, but also on the silent, secret language shared between partners. Whether you’re weaving verbal signals into deceptive dances or divining the nuanced communications of your cohorts, Kemps guarantees excitement at every turn.
Ready your decks, form your teams, and prepare for a bout of back-and-forth battle that will crown the most cohesive, connected pair as Kemps champions!
