What you need
A standard 52-card deck and 2 to 6 players. Go Fish is best with 3 to 6 people, but two can play. Any ordinary deck works; special “Go Fish” decks with pictures simply replace the ranks with animals and play exactly the same way.
Setup
Shuffle and deal the cards one at a time, face down. With 2 or 3 players, everyone gets 7 cards; with 4 or more, everyone gets 5. Put the rest of the deck face down in the middle of the table. This is the stock, or the “pond”.
Players look at their own cards and keep them hidden. Suits do not matter in Go Fish, only ranks (two 7s, two kings, and so on).
How to play
The player to the dealer’s left goes first, and play passes to the left.
On your turn, pick one opponent and ask them for a rank, for example “Sam, do you have any 9s?” You must already hold at least one card of that rank. Two things can happen:
- They have it. Sam must hand over every 9 in their hand. You then take another turn and may ask anyone for any rank you hold.
- They do not. Sam says “Go fish!” and you draw the top card of the stock. If you draw the rank you asked for, show it and take another turn. If not, keep the card quietly; your turn is over.
Whenever you collect all four cards of a rank (a “book”), show the book to the table and set it aside face down in front of you.
If you run out of cards during the game, draw a card from the stock on your next turn and ask for that rank. If the stock is empty too, you sit out until the game ends.
Scoring and winning
The round ends when someone has no cards left or the stock is empty (some groups play on until all 13 books are made; see variants). Count the books: the player with the most wins. There is no need to keep score for a single game.
For a longer session, play several rounds and score 1 point per book. The first player to reach an agreed total, such as 10 points, wins.
Common variants
- Ask for an exact card. Instead of “any 9s”, you ask for “the 9 of hearts”. You must hold a 9 to ask. This makes it slightly harder and gives older children a little bluffing room.
- Play to the last book. Keep going after the stock is empty, with no more fishing: if the player you ask has nothing, the turn simply passes.
- Turn passes to the asked player. After an unsuccessful fish, the next turn goes to the player who said “Go fish” rather than to the left.
- Pairs instead of books. Younger children can play for pairs (two of a rank), which makes the game shorter and easier. In Australia this is the usual way to play.
- Authors. Deal out the whole deck with no stock. If the player you ask has nothing, your turn passes. The game ends when all 13 books are out.
Tips for first games
- Listen. If Sam asked for 9s two turns ago and did not get a book, Sam still has 9s. Ask Sam.
- Keep your cards grouped by rank in your hand so you can see at a glance what you can ask for.
- With very young players, agree before the game whether you must show a card when you make a catch; Bicycle’s rules say yes, which keeps everyone honest.
Frequently asked questions
How many cards do you deal in Go Fish? Seven cards each for 2 or 3 players, five each for 4 or more. Sources differ slightly here (some deal five to every player), so just agree before the deal.
Do you have to give up all your cards of that rank? Yes. If you are asked for 9s and hold two, you hand over both.
What happens if I draw the card I asked for? Show it to prove it, then take another turn. If you draw any other card, keep it and your turn ends.
Can you ask for a rank you do not have? No. You must hold at least one card of the rank you ask for. This is the rule that makes the game work: every question gives away information.
Who wins if two players have the same number of books? The game is a tie, or play one more round if you prefer a single winner.
