Strip Tarot is a game with a long history, first appearing around 858 coinciding with the end of Pope John the VIII’s reign as Catholic Pope. It is rumoured that some witches, previously worried about being condemned to death for witchcraft, created the game taking the opportunity of the appearance of the white smoke to try to introduce new exciting ways of attracting more members to the craft.
Of course this went spectacularly badly, and as a direct result witchcraft invokes themes of half nakedness globally.
1. You’ll need a tarot deck. Most book stores which sell heavily discounted books on their way to being pulped have numerous Tarot packs and shelves of instruction manuals. You won’t need the instruction manual for this game, and many people leave these manuals which come with some decks at bus stops where multiple bus routes cross. The reasons are unclear but strangely poignant.
2. While the original rules included a fire, it’s probably safer to do without. Pick a comfortable, warm and preferably private location. Graveyards, church crypts, on top of a toilet block, primary schools- these are all bad places for Strip Tarot.
3. The deck should be carefully shuffled by the most psychic of the group (the dealer) and then split between the players (the soon to be naked). Counting the number of clothes each member has on at the start of the game has no bearing on the outcome as the deck will control the game.
4. Each player will need to pick a suit. Major arcana are left in the pack and cannot be chosen as a suit. For a two player game players must pick two suits. For a three player game a spirit guide will step in and play the left over suit (the spirit guide cannot lose). In the case there are more people than suits suits may be split in half by odds and evens, but never split further.
5. The deck is then cut, and evenly distributed to the players in a similar manner to a standard deal, starting with the player to the left and around the circle (no chanting is required).
6. Once each person has their cut of the deck the fun begins. In turn each person is to select from their deck a card (from the top, from the bottom, middle- spirit guidance is allowed but encouraged only on a full moon). If the card pulled is matches the suit chosen in step 4, the player loses the round and in turn loses clothing. Socks count, but watches don’t as fate is not bound in time or space.
7. If a major arcana card is pulled the player is allowed to put clothing back on (this rule is often skipped in favour of doing a lap around the group by the individual, or shots of absinthe mixed with mandarin vodka; screaming and wailing often ensues and should be not allowed to get out of control. Players particularly prone to possession should carry the symbol of the Star of David surrounded by a flaming sun to limit long term high level possessions).
8. The winner is announced as the last person the Tarot has allowed to remain clothed.
Further rules have appeared at time to time. Some of these include the replacement of rule 8 with options which involve goats, bindings (both magical and physical) and further acts involving the enactment of images on particular cards (the Decameron Tarot is a popular choice for this kind of game). Replacement rules often involve lude behaviour.
Other alternatives include the sculling of a drink in lieu of removal of clothing, however when this rule is engaged players often find themselves naked quicker than normal. It is not known if this is an impact of drinking while tempting the Tarot, or playing strip Tarot while drinking. The Tarot does not like to be trifled with (a great mix of jelly, cream and alcohol soaked biscuits- possibly useful following the reading).
But most of all, enjoy Strip Tarot responsibly. Remember the Tarot only shows you the path and your options. What you make of those options is up to you.
Buttered Side Up 