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Kipper Card Meanings
The Kipper is a specialized forecasting system that focuses exclusively at providing advice about a Dating Game. Therefore avoid using it for answering questions about business or civic matters, and instead use it only to answer questions pertaining to your love life.
There are 36 Kipper cards, and each Kipper card is differentiated only by its standardized card Number. Traditionally, card publishers will include a brief keyword phrase of their own devising on each card to help newbies. Originally these phrases were only written in German, but several decks with phrases written in English are now available.
Kipper cards are always read upright inside of Spreads (card #8 often fulfils the role of a "reversal" aspect), which can be either Tableaus or Strings. Individual cards can also express a clear Yes, No, or Maybe answer. Card interaction is a key feature of Kipper Spreads, and the cards reveal quite a bit about the dating game players. The de facto reference deck is the 1920s facing variant of the classic "Original Kipper".
In a Spread, cards falling to the left of a focus card are usually seen as being in the past, while those to the right are seen as being in the future. Note that although amplifying readings using image facing has been a popular adjunct since the mid 20th century, there are no standards requiring how images must face (and most LWBs don't even mention it), so facing interpretation is always deck (and cartomancer) dependent.
Although small in number, Kipper cards are very versatile. Four of the cards express low/high aspects of their theme. Twelve of the cards are antonyms of each other. Card 08 can flip a cards' meaning. Ten cards specifically refer to the actual players in the Dating Game, with six of these referring to major players. The other cards refer to the events in the melodrama. Many cards can reveal an aspect about a card that they are paired with, and some can even recommend actions for the Querent to take.
Kipper Lessons (*.mp4)
- Lesson 1 - The Dating Game
- Lesson 2 - Persons in the Kipper
- Lesson 3 - Action in the Melodrama
- Kipper Card Facing - Facing comparison between five popular Kipper decks
Card examples are taken from the classic Original Kipper. Above the card photo is the cards standard number, along with a keyword phrase that I believe expresses the card meaning succinctly. Below the card photo are bullet points. The [ ^ ] symbol shown on some person cards indicates whom the avatar is often traditionally substituted for (actual avatar assignment is always at the discretion of the cartomancer). The [ * ] symbol indicates a course of action that the card is suggesting for the Querent. The [ " ] symbol indicates an alternative card meaning.
01 - Prime Gentleman |
02 - Prime Lady |
03 - Marriage |
04 - Meetups |
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Man in prime of life |
Woman in prime of life |
Union |
Physical socializing |
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05 - Older Gentleman |
06 - Older Lady |
07 - Pleasant Message |
08 - False Person |
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Fatherly figure |
Motherly figure |
Upbeat tidings |
Deceptive Person |
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09 - Change |
10 - Journey |
11 - Sudden Riches |
12 - Privileged Woman |
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A shift |
Round trip |
Major monetary increase |
Young woman |
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13 - Wealthy Man |
14 - Upsetting Message |
15 - Success in Love |
16 - Collect Thoughts |
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Young man |
Downbeat tidings |
Sex |
Reflecting |
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17 - Bestowed a Present |
18 - Child |
19 - Ending |
20 - House |
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Minor recognition |
Dependent child |
Conclusion |
Stability |
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21 - Private Matter |
22 - Regimented Person |
23 - Dispute |
24 - Theft |
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Embarrassing secret |
Controlling person |
Disagreement |
Unexpected loss |
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25 - High Honors |
26 - Fortune Smiles |
27 - Gift of Money |
28 - Expectation |
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Major recognition |
Success |
Minor monetary increase |
Short wait |
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29 - Trapped |
30 - Judgmental Person |
31 - Malaise |
32 - Adversity |
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Unwanted obligation |
Resolving person |
Uneasiness |
Failure |
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33 - Doubts |
34 - Absorbing Distraction |
35 - Long Road Ahead |
36 - Hope |
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Uncertainty |
Hobbies |
Long wait |
Wishing |
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The answer from the card:
YES == 03, 05, 06, 07, 11, 12, 13, 15, 17, 18, 20, 21, 25, 26, 27, 36
MAYBE == 01, 02, 04, 09, 10, 16, 23, 28, 30, 34, 35
NO == 08, 14, 19, 22, 24, 29, 31, 32, 33
Antonym Cards
- 01 --- 02
- 05 --- 06
- 07 --- 14
- 26 --- 32
- 28 --- 35
(11 --- 24)
Similar Cards
- 17 --- 25
- 27 --- 11