The following article was written by Kristin Keck, a Teen Associate at the Manitowoc Public Library.
Sometimes you just have to take a chance.
I eyed my opponents across the table. Who was likely to be bold? Who would play it safe? Who would back down and who would rise to the challenge? I had to make a decision and I needed this point. I needed every point.
Other players slid their cards across the table. Then suddenly it clicked. I tried not to let my face betray anything as I played my card.
The judge picked up the cards we had played, letting his glance fall on the first one. Mine? I couldn’t tell. But, a smile flickered across his mouth. He read the prompt again for us, solemn as the occasion demanded. “’Hey, kids. I’m Sensei Todd. Today, I’m gonna teach you how to defend yourself against—A bountiful harvest of squashes and corns!’”
The table erupted with laughter and I grinned. Definitely taking this point.
If that sounds ridiculous, it’s supposed to. The game is “Cards Against Humanity,” first unleashed on an unsuspecting world in 2011, and it’s all about ridiculous, off-the-wall answers. Many iterations of the original game have given us one that’s safe to play with All Ages, Cards Against Humanity—Family Edition. On Thursday, March 12h, the doors will open at the lovely Balkansky Room (on the Second Floor of Manitowoc Public Library) and Teens ages 11 to 18 will be able to test their wits against the draw of the cards. By which I mean we’ll play Cards Against Humanity—Family Edition, and eat snacks. The snacks and cards will be provided!
Kristin Keck
Gameplay is quick and simple. Each player is dealt seven cards with words or phrases on them like “A huge honkin’ carrot”, “Underpants”, or “Joining the army”. The player designated as the judge for that hand draws a prompt card with a phrase that needs to be completed and reads it to the group. Then, each player completes the phrase with a response from the cards in their hand. The judge reads all the responses and picks the funniest response. That player gets a point. The player with the most points after the agreed upon number of rounds wins the game.
It all sounds very straightforward until you realize that there is some strategy involved. You can try to play to the judge and tailor your response to their sense of humor. You can play to the crowd—the bigger the laugh, the more likely the judge will be to pick your card. You can go for the gross-out, hoping to shock them into the laughter, or be existentially weird and see who follows you down the rabbit hole. You can forget about trying to win at all and just amuse yourself with your answers.
So, come for the laughs, come for the wit, come for the competition, come for the snacks—did I mention there will be snacks? Be there, Thursday, March 12, at 6 PM in the Balkansky Community Room for Cards Against Humanity—Family Edition!
