Kemps

Kemps is a social card game played with a standard 52-card deck by four to eight players arranged in two-person teams. The main objective is for a team to collect a four-of-a-kind and secretly signal this achievement to their partner, while opponents try to spot signaling and challenge a declaration depending on local rules.

Setup: The number of cards dealt per player varies by variant, typically four or five, and the remaining cards form a draw pile. The dealer shuffles and distributes cards, and play proceeds clockwise. On each turn, players exchange cards with the draw pile or with adjacent players according to the house rules, aiming to assemble four of a kind in their hand.

Gameplay: Through discarding and card-swapping, teams work toward obtaining four cards of the same rank in their hand. A prearranged signal (gestures or cues) alerts the partner that a four-of-a-kind has been formed. When a player suspects a signal, they may call out Kemps; if the four-of-a-kind exists and was properly signaled, the signaling team scores a point and the hand ends. If the call is incorrect or premature, the opposing team may score or the hand continues depending on the rules being used.

Scoring and variants: Most versions award one point to the successful team; the first team to reach a set score wins. House rules differ on signaling methods, penalties for incorrect calls, and dealing procedures.

History: Kemps is a casual, informal game with uncertain origins, widely played in social gatherings in Europe and North America. It has many regional variants.