|
Offense
It is important to have a strong offense in each game of Kemps. That means you have to have a wide variety of signals meaning different things, right? Wrong! It may seem hard to believe, but each system is equally good for offense. Choose the system that's right for your team. If you are playing with a variety of signals, it is important to get your point across, but to do it efficiently is even better. You should have a signal telling how many cards alike you have, and then the card itself. Do not make your signals too obvious, for then if your opponents figure them out, you are paying double. Not only will they be given a point, but you will also have to completely change all of your signals, which is a bit of a drag. One VERY IMPORTANT part of this strategy is holding one of the cards your partner needs. Say your partner has two sevens, and you have one seven. Do NOT give it to them. Why? Well consider if you give the seven over, an opponent might realize that you are giving the card to your partner; a perfect clue of what he or she is going for. Also, it might be intercepted by another player. If you're holding it until your partner has three of a kind, you might be able to slip it through when your opponents are busy looking at each other's signals. There you have it. If you are playing the more simple, one-signal-for-kemps-only game, you need a very subtle signal, but one that is still easily recognizable to your partner. When playing in this method, it is extremely important to fake often. If you are silent for the entire game and then after discarding and picking up, cough excessively, your opponents may become a bit suspicious and call "counter-kemps" on you. If you had kemps, you wouldn't want that to happen. Now, if that is a fake, there's one free insurance point for you and your partner. Balance these strategies well, and you should have no problem overcoming difficult opponents.
Defense
You can't win a kemps match just by offense. You also need to put a strong dependence on defense into your game. You should watch the other team(s) closely, and look for clues that could be of importance. If your opponent straightens up, looks nervous or becomes overly conscious of their partner, chances are they have something important. Although this can definitely give you an advantage over the opposing team, the more experienced players will be thinking the same thing. You really can't ignore that. If faking you out in this way is their strategy, then you are paying the price on counter-kempses alone. Watch what the other players pick up! Nine times out of ten, the first card they pick up after starting the game will give them two of a kind. If they pick up two more of that card, they most likely have kemps. That would not be a bad time to call "counter-kemps" on that player. (No, not at all.) Another important fact is to take advantage over your opponents' weaknesses. If they have a tough time on defense, fake 'em out! If you know that they aren't the brightest bulbs on the tree, you can have more obvious signals, but only as an advantage to your partner. If they have a tough time holding their cards back, turn your head and just look at 'em! As long as you aren't breaking the rules, you can have a very strong defensive team.
Other Important Notes
There is no right way to master the game of Kemps. Teams and players can only be so good before they even out in difficulty level. If you think you are the best team in the world, you should still not count on 5-0 victories every match, as there is still an underlying factor of luck that is bound with the game. Perhaps that is what makes it so exciting; that you do not know what cards your opponents have or what the next four cards will look like. To put it bluntly, the game of Kemps never gets old. Part of the strategy of the game is learning how to enjoy it, and you shouldn't forget that.
|
