Kemps is a team-based card game that combines fast card-passing with secret communication. You and a partner sit across from each other. Both of you are trying to collect four cards of the same rank in your hand. When you do, you signal your partner using a secret code you agreed on before the game. Your partner must notice your signal and call ‘Kemps!’ on your behalf \u2014 you cannot call it yourself. Meanwhile, you’re trying to catch OTHER teams’ signals and call ‘Stop Kemps!’ to block them. First team to successfully call Kemps three times wins.<\/p>\n\n\n
Before the game starts, each team of two must go somewhere private \u2014 away from the other teams \u2014 and agree on a secret signal. This is a small, subtle physical action that means ‘I have four of a kind, call Kemps for me.’ Good signals are things like: touching your ear, tapping the table twice with one finger, placing your chin in your hand, smoothing your hair. Bad signals are things that are too obvious or too similar to normal gestures. The signal must be something you can do naturally without looking suspicious. After choosing, rejoin the group WITHOUT revealing your signal.<\/p>\n\n\n
When you have four cards of the same rank, do your secret signal as naturally as possible. Your PARTNER \u2014 not you \u2014 must notice it and say ‘Kemps!’ If your partner calls it correctly, your team wins the round. If they call it and you DON’T actually have four of a kind, your team loses the round.<\/p>\n\n\n
If you think you’ve spotted another team’s signal \u2014 if you notice a player doing something subtle and suspect it means they have four of a kind \u2014 you can call ‘Stop Kemps!’ and point to that player. If you’re right and they DO have four of a kind, your team wins the round. If you’re wrong and they DON’T, your team loses the round.<\/p>\n\n\n
First team to win three rounds wins the match. After each round, teams may privately change their signal for the next round.<\/p>\n\n\n