How to Play Go Fish: Getting Started with Go Fish

Go Fish is a simple yet enjoyable card game that can be played with anywhere from 2 to 6 players. The objective of the game is to collect sets of four matching cards before your opponents do. The game is quick to learn and can be spiced up with various variations for endless fun.

1. Setting Up the Game

Step 1: Choose a dealer
Select someone to shuffle and deal the cards for the first round. You can choose the dealer based on who won the previous game, whose birthday is next, or rotate the role to keep things fair. Go Fish is versatile, allowing between 2 to 6 players to join the fun.

Step 2: Deal the cards
The dealer shuffles the deck and distributes cards to each player. If there are 2 or 3 players, give each player 7 cards. With 4 or more players, deal 5 cards each. Be sure to remove the jokers from the deck before starting. Players can look at their cards but should keep them hidden from their opponents.

Tip: For a fun twist, try using two decks of cards and double the number of cards each player receives for a longer, more challenging game.

Step 3: Create the fishing pond
Spread the remaining cards face-down in the center of the table. This pile forms the “fishing pond,” where players will draw cards during the game. If space is limited, stack the cards instead and have players draw from the top when instructed to “Go Fish.”

Step 4: Start the game
The player to the left of the dealer goes first and moves clockwise. Rotating the dealer ensures that everyone gets a chance to start.

Playing the Game

2. Taking Turns

Step 1: Ask for a card
During your turn, ask one of the other players if they have a specific card that matches one in your hand. For example, if you have two 9s, you might ask, “Do you have any nines?” Remember, you can only ask for cards that match the ones you already hold.

Note: You can only request the card’s rank, not its suit. For example, you can ask for any 9, regardless of whether it’s a 9 of hearts or clubs.

Step 2: Hand over matching cards
If the person you ask has the card you want, they must hand over all cards of that rank. For instance, if you ask for queens and the other player has two queens, they must give them both to you. Players are not allowed to lie or withhold cards.

Tip: Maintain a poker face to keep your cards a secret when you’re not the one being asked.

Step 3: Continue your turn if successful
If you successfully collect cards from another player, you can take another turn. You can ask the same player for another rank or try your luck with someone else. You can keep taking turns until someone tells you to “Go Fish.”

Step 4: “Go Fish” when you can’t fulfill a request
If the player you ask doesn’t have the card you want, they will tell you to “Go Fish,” and you must draw a card from the fishing pond. The turn then passes to the next player.

Tip: Don’t be disappointed if you have to “Go Fish”—drawing from the pond can increase your chances of forming matches!

3. Winning the Game

Step 1: Lay down your sets
As soon as you collect a set of four matching cards, lay them face-up in front of you. In many variations, the first player to get rid of all their cards wins the game.

Note: Some variations allow you to lay down pairs of matching cards instead of sets of four, which speeds up gameplay.

Step 2: Keep playing after laying down a match
When you successfully lay down a set, your turn continues. This gives you an opportunity to work on forming more matches before your opponents can make their move.

Step 3: Win by emptying your hand
The game typically ends when one player gets rid of all their cards. That player is declared the winner. You can continue playing to determine second and third-place winners as well.

Try this: Instead of ending the game when someone runs out of cards, keep playing until all the cards in the fishing pond are gone. The player with the most sets at the end wins!

Step 4: Optional game ending
If the fishing pond runs out of cards and no one has emptied their hand, you can choose to end the game and declare the player with the most sets as the winner. Alternatively, you can continue playing by asking opponents for cards without the option of drawing from the pond.

With these simple rules, Go Fish offers endless fun and opportunities for strategy. The game is easy to modify with variations, making it enjoyable for players of all ages!