Kemps
How to Play Kemps
Kemps is a four-of-a-kind signal game for an even count — 4, 6, 8, or 10. 4 is typical first night (two pairs). Partners in pairs. Sit where you can see your partner. You collect four of a kind, give a silent signal, and your partner yells Kemps. Three is not this game. Five is not this game. Nobody plays cutthroat tonight.
This page is kitchen-table Kemps. Also called Kent or Cash at some tables — CardPractice house name is Kemps. Short enough to deal tonight. This is not President. President is a shedding climb with named seats — how to play President. This is not Palace. Palace is three down, three up, rest in hand — how to play Palace. This is not Cheat. Cheat is claim the next rank face-down — how to play Cheat. This is not Nertz. Nertz is a real-time race onto shared aces — how to play Nertz. This is not Speed. Speed is a 2-player race onto two piles — how to play Speed. Four people is a tonight pick. Chip 5 is 6, 8, or 10 — tonight with 5+. Three is not this game. Five is not this game.
What you need
- Even count only: 4, 6, 8, or 10. Partners in pairs. Four is typical first night (two pairs). Sit where you can see your partner. Three is not this game. Five is not this game. Nobody plays cutthroat tonight.
- One standard 52-card deck. No jokers. No second pack.
- Agree one silent signal out loud before the first deal (touch your nose, tap the table, scratch your ear — pick one and keep it). Do not change the signal mid-night.
- Paper optional (first pair to 5 hands). Prefer pennies or hash marks tonight if you keep score.
Sit, pick a dealer, agree on the house
Sit in pairs where you can see your partner — not always across; see the signal. Cut for the first deal, or point at someone. After each hand, the deal moves clockwise.
Say these out loud before the first card:
- Even count. Pairs. One silent signal. Four is typical (two pairs). Chip 5 is 6, 8, or 10. Three is not this game. Five is not this game. Pick one signal and keep it all night.
- Deal 4 each. Turn 4 face-up in the window. Remaining cards face-down as the stock. One 52. No jokers. No second pack.
- Play at once. Anyone may swap one card from their hand with one card in the window, at any time. No turns. No one-card-per-person around the table. When nobody wants the window (or it has sat), the dealer sweeps those 4 aside face-down and turns 4 new from the stock.
- Four of a kind: signal. Partner yells Kemps. Do not say Kemps yourself. If they yell Kemps and you do not have four of a kind, that pair loses the hand — deal again. An opponent who sees the signal may yell Stop first. Not President. Not Nertz. Not Speed.
Deal 4. Turn a window of 4.
Shuffle the 52. Deal clockwise until each player has 4. Turn 4 cards face-up in the middle — that is the window. Remaining cards sit face-down as the stock.
| People | Pairs | Each / window / leftover |
|---|---|---|
| 4 — typical first night | 2 pairs | 4 each, 4 in the window, 32 in the stock |
| 6 — chip 5+ | 3 pairs | 4 each, 4 in the window, 24 in the stock |
| 8 — chip 5+ | 4 pairs | 4 each, 4 in the window, 16 in the stock |
| 10 — chip 5+ | 5 pairs | 4 each, 4 in the window, 8 in the stock |
| 3 | Not this game | Need pairs. Odd counts sit out. |
| 5 | Not this game | Need pairs. Chip 5 is 6/8/10, not five people. |
Four people: 4 × 4 = 16 in hands, 4 in the window, 32 in the stock. 16 + 4 + 32 = 52. If someone has 3 or 5, you misdealt. Throw it in and deal again.
Play at once — not clockwise
Anyone may swap one card from their hand with one card in the window, at any time. You do not wait for a turn. You do not play one card per person around the table. Hands off other people's cards. Swap with the window, not with a neighbor.
When nobody wants the window — or it has sat — the dealer sweeps those 4 aside face-down and turns 4 new from the stock. If the stock runs out, shuffle the swept cards and keep going.
| What | House tonight |
|---|---|
| Hand | 4 cards. Always 4. Swap one for one with the window. |
| Window | 4 face-up in the middle. Anyone may take one and leave one. |
| Play | At once. No turns. No clockwise one-card-per-person. |
| Sweep | When nobody wants the window, sweep 4 aside face-down, turn 4 new. |
| Goal | Four of a kind in your hand. Same rank, any suits. |
| Signal | One silent signal, agreed out loud. Partner yells Kemps. You do not. |
| Stop | Opponent who sees the signal may yell Stop first. |
| Win | Pair that correctly calls Kemps (or Stop) wins the hand. |
You are collecting four of a kind. You are not climbing ranks. That is not President. You are not claiming a rank face-down. That is not Cheat. You are not racing onto shared aces. That is not Nertz.
Four of a kind: signal, then Kemps
When you hold four of the same rank, give your partner the silent signal. Do not say “Kemps” yourself. Your partner yells Kemps.
That pair wins the hand if you actually have four of a kind. Show the four. If they yell Kemps and you do not have four of a kind, that pair loses the hand. Deal again. (Some tables keep the other pairs in this hand. Tonight freeze: that pair loses, deal again.)
Do not change the signal mid-night. Do not add a second signal. One silent motion, agreed out loud, used all night.
Stop / counter
If an opponent sees your signal and yells Stop before your partner yells Kemps, and you do have four of a kind, the Stop pair wins that hand.
If they yell Stop and you do not have four of a kind, the Stop call is wrong — they lose the hand. Deal again.
Say this out loud before the first card.
Win the hand. Optional rematch to 5.
The pair that correctly calls Kemps (or Stop) wins the hand. Optional rematch: first pair to 5 hands. Prefer pennies or hash marks tonight if you keep score.
You do not shed a climb to named seats. That is President. You do not play three down and three up. That is Palace. You do not race a 13-card pile onto shared aces. That is Nertz. You do not dump onto two center piles. That is Speed.
Walk through one first-night hand
Four people, two pairs. You collect four 7s. You tap the table (the signal). Your partner yells Kemps. You show four 7s. Your pair wins.
If East had yelled Stop first, East's pair would have won instead.
Night-one habits
- Even count. Pairs. Four is typical. Chip 5 is 6/8/10. Three is not this game. Five is not this game.
- One silent signal, agreed out loud. Do not change it mid-night.
- Play at once. Swap one from the hand with one in the window. No turns.
- You do not yell Kemps yourself. Your partner does. An opponent may yell Stop first.
- Wrong Kemps or wrong Stop: that pair loses the hand. Deal again.
You know enough to deal. Keep this page beside the table. Four people is a tonight pick. Six, eight, or ten is a tonight 5+ pick. There is no Kemps trainer on CardPractice — this how-to is the product. If you wanted a shedding climb with named seats, that is President. If you wanted a real-time race onto shared aces, that is Nertz. If you wanted a 2-player dump race, that is Speed. Three people: not this game.