Spoons

Spoons is a party game that turns into a scramble. Cards move around the table continuously until someone quietly collects four of a kind and takes a spoon from the middle - at which point everyone else lunges, and the slowest player picks up a letter. A round takes about 2 minutes.

What You Need

• Players: 3-8.
• Deck: Use four cards per player plus a few - or just deal from a full deck and remove ranks so that only complete sets of four remain in play.
• Extras: Spoons - one fewer than the number of players. Forks, coasters, or anything else grabbable works.

Key Terms

• Four of a kind: Four cards of the same rank, which is what you are collecting.
• The grab: The moment someone takes a spoon and everyone else follows.
• Letter: The penalty for missing out, spelling S-P-O-O-N-S over the game.

Setup

1. Place the spoons in a cluster in the middle of the table, within everyone's reach. Use one fewer spoon than there are players.
2. Reduce the deck so it holds exactly four of each rank you are using - four cards per player. With five players, use five ranks: 20 cards.
3. Deal 4 cards to each player.

How to Play

1. The dealer picks up a card from the leftover stock, or from the deck, keeping their hand at five for a moment.
2. They choose one card to pass face down to the player on their left.
3. Everyone does the same continuously: take the card from your right, decide which of your five cards to keep, and pass one on. Cards flow around the table without stopping.
4. The player at the end of the line puts unwanted cards into a discard pile.
5. As soon as you hold four of a kind, quietly take a spoon.
6. The moment anyone notices a spoon has been taken, everyone grabs. You do not need four of a kind to grab - you just need to be fast.
7. The player left without a spoon gets a letter: first S, then P, and so on.

Scoring & Winning

• The only score is the letters. Missing a spoon adds the next letter of S-P-O-O-N-S.
• Once you spell the full word, you are out.
• The last player left in the game wins. Shorter games use PIG or just three strikes.

Example

You pass the 9♠ to your left and the card handed to you from the right is a 9♥. That gives you four 9s, so you slide a spoon off the table as casually as you can manage.

Variations

• No spoons: touch your nose instead. The last player to notice and copy takes the letter.
• Sudden death: one letter and you are out, for a fast game with a big group.
• Two-handed grabbing banned: in a rowdy group, agree in advance that a spoon must be taken with one hand.

Tips for New Players

• Watch hands, not cards. The grab usually starts before you notice anyone has four of a kind.
• Do not celebrate. The whole point is to take your spoon without anyone realising.
• Keep passing while you look around - the flow of cards does not stop for you.