Before you draw it
Betrayal is one of the sensitive cards in the 16+ deck. A player who draws it can play the other side, Chess, or pass the card. Agree together how passing works before the game starts. Thesis is a conversation format. Nobody at the table has to tell a story they don’t want to tell.
Why Betrayal is in the deck
Betrayal comes up again and again in talk about relationships. Esther Perel’s podcast returns to it across many episodes, and she frames infidelity through longing and loss, beyond betrayal alone (Esther Perel). It was picked because it’s wider than cheating. Friends betray each other, and so do coworkers and siblings.
How people read it differently
Even inside a couple, there’s no shared line. A survey analysis by the Institute for Family Studies found Americans disagree on whether an emotional affair counts as cheating (IFS). For some, betrayal is a physical act. For others, it’s emotional closeness with someone else, or anything kept secret.
Outside romance, the readings spread further. A player might talk about a friend who told a secret, a parent who broke a promise, or a job that dropped them after years of loyalty.
The other side: Chess
The back of the card is Chess, a word from the first brief for the game. One blog post tells of a grandfather’s chess pieces from his army years, which his granddaughter now keeps (Beyond Solitaire). The Chess side can bring someone who taught you to play, a game you lost on purpose, or a set nobody touches anymore.
How to play this card
Draw the card. Choose a side: Betrayal or Chess. Roll the die. Look at the word from that side.
The die has six faces: MEMORIES, BODY, PEOPLE, VALUES, CHILDHOOD, FUTURE. Say as much or as little as feels right. A short answer is a full answer.
The others ask what they’re curious about, gently, without judging: What did that feel like? Who else was there? Has it always meant that to you?
What is said at the table stays at the table.
Related words
From the Relationships cluster: Trust, Loyalty, Forgiveness. See the deck, try the online table, or read the research.