The theme of games arises throughout the novel, usually concerning Kim’s temperament. We are told in the first chapter that “what he loved was the game for its own sake” (5). Kim has a natural playfulness and a love for adventure that shapes his whole perspective. Even the simplest conversations become games for him, as he discovers that he can lead people to predetermined conclusions by playing on the audience’s expectations and dropping in new information here and there. Even the lama’s quest for the river is something of a game to him. He sincerely loves the lama, but he does not seem to be compelled by the call of enlightenment; rather, his devotion to the lama and his love for the adventure of the journey drive him to continue their quest.

This theme of games also features large in the portions of the book revolving around espionage. Mahbub Ali regularly refers to the work of spycraft in the geopolitical tensions of Asia as “the Great Game” (149). Much of Kim’s training also includes games. The description in Chapter 9 of Lurgan’s training methods includes a detailed account of the Jewel Game, a memory exercise that Kim plays against a small Hindu boy.