Taps

Taps is a wonderful game to play after a meal or any time when you have a large group of people sitting around a table. It is suitable for players of all ages, although young children may need a little help (or at least allow them to make a few mistakes before they are out!).

Age: All ages

No. of players: 6-20 or more (as many as can fit around a table)

Equipment: None

Time: 5 minutes+

Aim: To be the last player with at least one hand left on the table.

1. Players sit around the table and cross their arms over their neighbour so their hands are interlinked as shown below. The interlinked arms must make a complete circle around the table.

2. One player is chosen to start the game. Without moving their arm, they hit the table with their right hand. (The wrist should remain on the table as the hand hits the table.) The player with their hand immediately to the left then taps their hand on the table, and so on in a clockwise direction. This is not as easy as it sounds since your hands are separated by your neighbours' hands. In the example above, player B starts (hand 1) followed by player A (hand 2) then player C (hand 3) and player B again (hand 4). Player D (hand 5) is followed by player C (hand 6) and so on around the table in a clockwise direction.

3. The game is made more difficult since any player can double tap (that is, hit the table twice rapidly yet clearly) during their turn. This reverses the direction of the game (from clockwise to counterclockwise, or vice versa).

4. Any player who does not tap their hand within one second when it is their turn, or who moves the wrong hand, or who moves their hand when it is not their turn, or who moves their hand after the direction has changed, must remove their hand from the circle. A player with both hands removed is out of the game for the rest of the round.

5. The last player with at least one hand remaining on the table wins the round. The game can then start again with all players putting both hands back on the table. The player who won the previous round starts the new round. The game can continue for as many rounds as players want to play.


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