Go Fish is a classic card game that’s well-known across the world for its easy-to-follow rules and addictive gameplay. It’s popular for kids in particular.
The following beginner’s guide will cover all aspects needed to understand the game.
The Steps
The game is designed for 2-5 players. All you need to play is a standard 52-card Anglo-American deck with no Jokers, similar to Kemps and most other matching games.
Dealing
The dealer is determined by deck-splitting. The player drawing the highest card will become the dealer. However, the dealer does not affect gameplay in any way.
- For 2-player games, each player is dealt 7 cards.
- For 3-5 player games, each player is dealt 5 cards.
The remaining cards are then set aside, forming the draw pile, sometimes known as the stock.
Gameplay
The main gameplay revolves around a similar ruleset to other card matching games.
The dealer goes first and asks a specific player whether they have a certain card rank (Aces-Kings). The requesting player must have at least 1 card from that specific rank in order to make a request.
For example, if Player 1 does not have any 7s in hand, he/she is not allowed to ask another player for 7s.
An example request is as follows: Player 1 asks, “Player 2, do you have any sevens?”
In this case, Player 2 will give all the sevens they have in hand to Player 1. Player 1 then gets to make another request to any player.
If Player 2 does not have any sevens, they will say “Go Fish.”
When asked to Go Fish, a player will draw 1 card from the stock. The turn then passes to the next player in clockwise order.
Merging
Since at its core, this is a matching game, the main goal is to make four-of-a-kind sets.
Once a player manages to complete a four of a kind, they will set those 4 cards face up on the board in front of them.
Completion of a four-of-a-kind can happen either through a request or through a draw from the stock. The completion of a set does not force the turn to end.
Once a set is completed, no more cards of that rank exist in the stock or hands. Thus, players are not allowed to call for said rank. The sets can no longer be used in play.
How to Win?
The round ends once all cards are cleared from the stock and all hands. The final tally of all sets owned by each player will be their score for the round.
Running Out of Cards
If a player runs out of cards, there are 3 possible courses of action:
- If there are still cards left in the stock, the player draws 5 cards from the stock.
- If there are less than 5 cards left in the stock, the player draws all cards from the stock.
- If there are no cards left in the stock, the player does not play for the remainder of the round.
Rules
In summary, the key rules of Go Fish are:
- Each player is dealt 5 cards each (7 in 2-player games).
- The dealer goes first and asks a player of their choosing for a certain card rank.
- If the player asked has cards from that rank, they give them all to the asking player.
- If the player asked does not have cards from that rank, they tell the player to “Go Fish”, and the asking player has to draw 1 card from the stock.
- Play continues clockwise.
- When each player completes a four-of-a-kind it is set aside face-up.
- Play ends when all cards have been merged.
Scoring
Go Fish scoring is based on the number of four-of-a-kind sets owned by each player at the end of the round. Each set is worth 1 point.
The player with the highest number of sets wins the round.
Example Play
The following is an example hand of a 2-player game.
- Player 1: A♥ 10♥ Q♦ 9♦ 9♣
- Player 2: K♥ 6♦ 10♦ 10♣ 4♦ 4♣
- Player 1 takes his/her turn, asking player 2: “Do you have any Aces?”
- Player 2 does not, and says “Go Fish”.
- Player 1 draws the 9♥.
- Player 2 takes his/her turn, asking player 1: “Do you have any 10s?”
- Player 2 hands over his/her 10♥.
Strategy
Strategy in this game mainly revolves around making reads on your opponents. Below we listed some tips:
- Try hiding the cards you have if possible by not asking for those cards until you know others have the cards you need.
- Count cards if possible (though this is harder than in other games).
- Remember, you can continuously ask for the same cards to force more draws from the stock.
- Clearing your hand as early as possible enables you more chances to win.
- Keep a poker face, especially in games with more than 4 players.
Video Tutorial
Frequently Asked Questions
How many cards do you get in Go Fish?
In 2-player games, each player gets 7 cards each. In 3-5 player games, each player gets 5 cards each.
What happens when you run out of cards?
If you run out of cards in Go Fish, you draw 5 from the stock if possible. If no cards are left, you wait until the round ends.
How to play Go Fish with 3 players?
With 3 players, each player gets dealt 5 cards each at the start of the game, and play continues as usual.
Can I play online?
Multiple browser simulators are available online, as well as downloadable Android or iOS apps. There’s a ton to choose from, though the one on CardGames.io seems to be very popular.
