How to Play the Card Game Kemps

Kemps is card game in which a player has to figure out if his partner's hand contains four of a kind. How do you get a hand with four cards of the same rank? You grab for them. The dealer deals out a set of cards, and you must snatch them as quickly as possible from the table before another player can reach them. It may sound a little childish, but Kemps is fast-paced fun for players of any age.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Deck of cards

1. Have the players form teams of two. Let them take a moment to discuss potential signals (i.e., nonverbal "table talk"), then have them sit on opposite sides of the table from each other.

2. Deal out the deck until each player has a total of four cards in his hand.

3. Deal out four more cards face-up in the center of the table, making sure all players can reasonably reach the cards.

4. Grab a card (or cards) from the table and replace it (or them) with a card (or cards) from your hand. There is no set order of play in the game of Kemps, so grab quickly. Any card exchanged from your hand is placed face-up on the table. This card will be up for grabs by the other players.

5. Remove the four face-up cards from the table once the exchange has been exhausted and deal out four more cards in the same fashion. Players will again grab a card (or cards) and exchange with one (or more) in your hand. Sweeping and dealing may happen numerous times.

6. Call "Kemps" when you believe your partner has four of a kind in her hand. You may also yell "Stop" when you believe a player from the other team has four of a kind.

7. Reveal your hands. If you were correct in your call, the other team earns 1 point. If you were incorrect in your call, your team earns 1 point.

8. Win the game of Kemps when the other team's score hits a total of 5 points.

Tips & Warnings

• To determine the order of play, deal out the deck face-up until one player is dealt a jack. This player will act as the first dealer. Play will move to his left in a clockwise direction around the table. Subsequent deals will follow this same path.