Three decks, three traditions, three ways of reading destiny. Tarot, Lenormand and Kipper are the three most widespread cartomancy systems in the world, but most people confuse them or do not even know the latter two exist. In this guide we explain the fundamental differences between all three so you can choose which one best suits what you are looking for.

History of each deck

Each system was born at a different time and place, and that deeply marks its character and method.

Tarot: Italy, 15th century

Tarot was born as a card game in northern Italy around 1440 (the "tarocchi"). It was not until the 18th century that cards began to be used for divination. The best-known deck today, the Rider-Waite-Smith (1909), was designed by Arthur Edward Waite and illustrated by Pamela Colman Smith. It has 78 cards divided into 22 Major Arcana (universal archetypes like The Fool, Death, The Sun) and 56 Minor Arcana (4 suits: wands, cups, swords, pentacles). Tarot is the most complex and symbolic system of the three.

Lenormand: France/Germany, 1799

The Petit Lenormand was based on a game called "Game of Hope" (1799) and was named after Marie Anne Lenormand (1772-1843), the most famous fortune-teller of the Napoleonic era. It has 36 cards representing everyday objects: a rider, a clover, a ship, a house. Each card also has a correspondence with the French playing card deck. What makes Lenormand unique is that cards are NEVER read individually, but by COMBINATION: the left card modifies the meaning of the right one.

Kipper: Bavaria, ~1870-1890

Kipper cards are attributed to Susanne Kipper and were born in Bavaria (Germany) in the late 19th century. They also have 36 cards, but unlike Lenormand which uses symbolic objects, Kipper represents concrete real-life people and situations: "Marriage", "Theft", "Funeral", "Success in Love". It is the most literal and direct oracle that exists. Its reading method is based on DIRECTIONALITY: what is in front of the significator is future/favorable, what is behind is past/unfavorable.

Structure of each deck

The difference in card count and organization radically changes the depth and type of reading.

Tarot: 78 cards

22 Major Arcana (spiritual journey) + 56 Minor Arcana (daily life). The Minors are divided into 4 suits of 14 cards each (1-10 + Page, Knight, Queen, King). Cards can be read upright or reversed, doubling their meanings. This gives an enormously rich system but one that is harder to learn.

Lenormand: 36 cards

No division into majors/minors or suits. Each card is an everyday object or concept (Heart = love, Anchor = stability, Mice = loss). Each card also has a French playing card correspondence. There are no reversed cards. The system is more accessible and immediate than Tarot.

Kipper: 36 cards

No division into majors/minors. Cards represent PEOPLE (Main Male, Good Lady, False Person) and SITUATIONS (Marriage, Journey, Illness, Work). There are no reversed cards. It is the easiest system to understand because cards literally say what they mean.

Reading method

This is where the three systems diverge most radically.

Tarot: individual interpretation + intuition

Each Tarot card is interpreted individually according to its position in the spread. The reader uses the symbolism of the image, their intuition and the context of the question to give meaning. Reversed cards add layers of complexity. Tarot is the system that most depends on the reader's intuition and experience.

Lenormand: pair combination

In Lenormand, cards are NEVER read alone. The left card always MODIFIES the right one. For example: Heart + House = love in the home. Snake + Ring = complications in a commitment. This combination mechanic makes readings like sentences built card by card, creating fluid and very concrete narratives.

Kipper: directionality

Kipper introduces a unique concept: DIRECTIONALITY. Person cards (like "Main Male" or "Main Female") "look" in a direction. What is in front of them represents the future and the favorable. What is behind represents the past and the unfavorable. This creates narrative readings where cards tell a story in chronological order, like a movie.

Comparison table

Which one to choose?

There is no "better" system than another. Each has its strength.

Choose Tarot if...

You seek spiritual depth, enjoy meditating with cards, want to explore universal archetypes, or enjoy complexity and intuition. Tarot is ideal for existential questions and personal development.

Choose Lenormand if...

You want practical and direct answers, are interested in everyday situations, prefer a system with clear rules rather than relying solely on intuition, or are looking for an oracle you can learn relatively quickly.

Choose Kipper if...

You need to know what will happen WITH WHOM and WHEN, like very literal and concrete readings, want to understand dynamics between people, or are looking for the easiest cartomancy system to learn. Kipper is perfect for questions about relationships and social situations.

Try all three at MysticNova

At MysticNova you can consult all three systems for free. Do a Yes or No spread with classic Tarot, explore your options with Lenormand Three Cards, or discover what scene Kipper describes for your current situation. Each oracle gives you a different perspective on the same question — and that diversity of viewpoints is, perhaps, the greatest wisdom.

Conclusion

Tarot, Lenormand and Kipper are three different windows for looking at the same reality. Tarot shows you the spiritual path. Lenormand describes the everyday landscape. Kipper introduces you to the people you will meet along the way. Using them in combination gives you the most complete vision possible.

Tarot, Lenormand and Kipper: The Definitive Guide to 3 Divination Decks