Works with Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini, or your own local model: paste this prompt and your AI will co-facilitate this exercise with you.

Help me prepare and run the exercise below. First ask for my participant count, time, setting, access needs and intended result. Check these against the stated limits. Use the supplied rules and materials. Explain any proposed changes before using them, and label them as adaptations. Do not invent source claims or require personal disclosure. Give me one step at a time when I say start. I manage the people, physical activity and clock; do not claim to observe the room. Ask me what happened before choosing a next step.

Reference revision: a0fd8b931376fc8cfc0359081aa1f03bc309ad67168874ba899aec1e10740f9d

# Poker Swap

Participants receive three random conversation-starter cards, mingle to trade them one-for-one, and then pair up to discuss their chosen questions.

**Time:** 15 minutes. UWT suggested 15-minute schedule based on the standard 5-to-15-minute icebreaker range.
**People:** 4 to 24. Whole-room mingling followed by pairs (or one trio if numbers are odd).

## Choose this exercise

**Purpose:** Select conversation topics through one-for-one trading and discuss them in pairs.
**Use it when:** Use at the beginning of a workshop or meeting when people need a low-pressure way to talk in pairs.
**Skip it when:** Skip when the meeting focus requires immediate technical work or when participants cannot move around or hold physical cards without accommodations.

## Materials and tools

- A set of pre-printed question cards (at least 3 cards per person, plus 6 spares)
- Timer or chime

## Before participants arrive

1. Print and cut the conversation cards from the participant materials section.
2. Count out 3 cards per participant and keep spare cards on a central table.

## Say this to open

Take three cards each. Do not worry if you dislike your cards right now. You will spend the next four minutes trading them one-for-one with other people until you hold three questions you actually want to discuss. Let's begin.

## How to run it

### 1. Deal cards and explain rules (2 minutes)

Hand three random cards to each participant. Explain the trading constraints: trades must be mutual, only one card may be traded per interaction with a given person, and participants should keep exactly three cards in hand at all times.

### 2. Mingle and trade (4 minutes)

Signal participants to stand and mingle. Each person approaches others, compares cards, and trades one card if both agree. Continue until the timer rings. Anyone who cannot find trades may swap up to two cards with the central spare deck.

### 3. Pair and discuss (6 minutes)

Ask participants to find one partner. If there is an odd number, allow exactly one trio. Partners take turns picking one question from their hand to ask each other. Each person answers at their own comfort level and may pass on any question.

### 4. Debrief (3 minutes)

Call the room back together. Ask 2 or 3 volunteers to share an observation about either the trading process or a question they chose. Keep comments brief to end on time.


## Debrief questions

- What made a card worth keeping or trading away?
- Did your final hand reflect what you actually wanted to talk about, or did you settle for what was available?

**Finished output:** Each pair completes a short conversation based on mutually traded prompt cards.

## Remote

Place digital cards (text boxes) on a shared virtual board in a central grid. Give each participant an assigned private column with 3 random cards. During the 4-minute trade phase, people use breakout rooms or direct chat to agree on trades and move digital cards. Convene in breakout pairs for 6 minutes of discussion.

## Hybrid

Pair in-person participants with in-person partners and remote participants with remote partners in virtual breakout rooms. Use an online board for remote trading while in-person participants use physical cards.

## Access and participation choices

- Participants may trade cards silently by pointing or showing the card face.
- Participants can pass on answering any question without explanation or substitute a question from the spare card deck.

## If the session gets stuck

**Two people want to trade all three cards at once.**

Remind them of the single-card limit per encounter and instruct them to mingle with someone else before trading again.

**An odd number of participants leaves one person without a partner.**

Form one group of three or offer the participant the choice to partner with the facilitator.


## Terms used here

- One-for-one trade: An exchange where both people give exactly one card to the other at the same time.

## Participant material: Conversation Starter Cards

Print and cut these 12 prompt cards (repeat as needed for larger groups):
1. What is one small habit that makes your workday better?
2. What is a skill you have learned outside of work or school?
3. If you had an extra hour of free time today, what would you do with it?
4. What is a piece of advice you are glad you ignored?
5. What kind of puzzle or problem do you enjoy solving most?
6. What is a project or hobby you worked on recently?
7. What is a book, article, or podcast that changed your mind about something?
8. What is something you find easy that others often find difficult?
9. What is your preferred way to recharge after a busy week?
10. What is a simple tool or piece of equipment you rely on daily?
11. What is an experience that taught you an unexpected lesson?
12. What topic could you give an impromptu five-minute talk about?

## Sources and adaptation

Observed in Playmeo library, attributed to Mark Collard.

Retained core mechanic of dealing three cards, trading one-for-one mutually, and pairing up to discuss chosen prompts as documented on Playmeo. UWT added explicit timing (15 minutes), a complete 12-prompt card set, access guidelines, and a remote/hybrid delivery model.

[Playmeo](https://www.playmeo.com/activities/ice-breakers-get-to-know-you-games/poker-swap)

[Playmeo](https://www.playmeo.com/activities/ice-breakers-get-to-know-you-games/poker-swap/)

Current run sheet: https://unitedwetransform.com/exercises/conversation-starter-activity-sparks-connections-poker-swap/