Social deception Fast hands A deck of cards
Kemps
Get four of a kind, then secretly signal your partner so they can call it before the other team catches on.
the best bit: a very suspicious amount of eyebrow scratching
- Players
- 4–8 (best with 4–6)
- Time
- 20–40 min
- Learn in
- A minute
- Mood
- Rowdy
- Format
- Teams
The 30-second version
You play in pairs, and each pair agrees on a secret signal. Everyone swaps cards with the four in the middle, trying to collect four of a kind. When you get one, give your partner the signal. If they spot it and shout "Kemps!", your team scores. If the other team spots it first, they shout "Cut!" and steal the point.
read this, then walk through the steps below once.
Grab these
Set up
- Split into pairs. Sit across from your partner.
- Each pair goes somewhere private and agrees on a secret signal, like tugging an ear.
- Deal four cards to each player and four more face up in the middle.
How to play
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Swap
The dealer says "Go." Everyone at once swaps cards from their hand for cards in the middle, one at a time. Always hold exactly four.
-
Refresh the middle
When nobody wants anything in the middle, the dealer clears those four and deals four new ones.
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Signal
Got four of a kind? Give your partner the signal without the other team noticing.
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Call "Kemps!"
See your partner's signal? Shout "Kemps!" If they really do have four of a kind, your team gets a point. If not, you lose one.
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Call "Cut!"
Think someone on the other team has four of a kind and is signaling? Point at them and shout "Cut!" If they have it, your team gets the point. If not, their team does.
How to win
After each call, reshuffle and deal again. The first team to 5 points, one for each letter of K-E-M-P-S, wins.
From experience…
- Pick a signal people do anyway, like touching your nose. Standing up is not subtle.
- Fake signals are allowed. Make the other team paranoid.
- Odd number of people? One person deals and referees each hand, and the job rotates.