To play Go Fish, deal each player seven cards (five each if four or more are playing) and put the rest face down as the pond. On your turn, ask one player for a rank you hold, like 7s. If they have any, they hand them all over. If not, they say "Go fish" and you draw. The player with the most books of four wins.
That's the game in a nutshell. It takes two minutes to learn, which is why it's one of the first card games most children pick up, and why adults still play it on long car journeys.
What you need
- A standard 52-card deck, with the jokers taken out.
- Two to six players.
- A flat surface, or a cosy corner of the sofa.
- Nothing else. No pens, no scorecards.
If you only have two players, you're not alone. Go Fish works well as a two-player game, and if you want more ideas for just you and one other person, I've put together a list of two-player games with a deck of cards.
Setting up the game
Shuffle the deck and deal cards one at a time to each player. How many each player gets depends on the group:
| Players | Cards dealt to each player |
|---|---|
| 2 or 3 | 7 cards |
| 4 or more | 5 cards |
Put the rest of the deck face down in the middle. This is the pond, sometimes called the ocean. Everyone picks up their cards and holds them so the others can't see. If you find you already hold all four of one rank, lay them down straight away as a book.
How a turn works
Pick who goes first. The youngest player is a friendly choice, and so is whoever lost the last game. Then play goes clockwise.
- Ask. Choose any other player and ask for a rank that you already hold. You can't ask for something you have none of. For example: "Do you have any 7s?"
- Hand over. If they have 7s, they must give you every 7 they hold. You take them and ask again.
- Or fish. If they have none, they say "Go fish" and you draw the top card from the pond.
- Lucky draw. A common rule is that if the card you draw is the rank you asked for, you show it and take another turn.
- Make books. Whenever you hold all four cards of a rank, lay them face up in front of you. That's a book.
- Pass the turn. If you drew something different, your turn ends and the next player goes.
You can check how many cards other players hold, but you can't peek. A good player listens carefully, because every question tells you something about what is in someone's hand.
A short example round
Here's what the first few turns might sound like between two players, Maya and Sam. Maya holds a 7, a 3 and a king.
- Maya: "Sam, do you have any 7s?"
- Sam: "Yes, I've got two." (Sam hands over both 7s, so Maya now holds three of them.)
- Maya: "Thanks! Do you have any 3s?" (She asks again after a successful ask.)
- Sam: "Go fish." (Maya draws a card from the pond. It isn't a 3, so her turn ends.)
- Sam: "Maya, do you have any kings?"
- Maya: "Yes, one." (She hands it over, and Sam asks again.)
Notice what happened. Maya asked for 7s, so Sam now knows she holds at least one 7. She also asked for 3s, so she holds a 3 as well. If Sam ever picks up a 7, he can ask for it straight away. That's the whole strategy of the game: remember what the other players ask for, because each question gives away a little of their hand.
How the game ends and who wins
Play continues until all 13 books have been made, one for each rank in the deck. Everyone counts the books in front of them. The player with the most books wins.
If you run out of cards on your turn, most house rules let you draw from the pond (or take a fresh hand of cards if the pond is empty). It's a good idea to agree this with your group before you start, because it's the point where most arguments begin.
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Easy variations
- Pairs instead of books. For very young children, match pairs, like two 7s, instead of collecting all four. It shortens the game and makes it much less tricky.
- Happy Families style cards. Some card decks are made for this kind of asking game. You collect whole families instead of ranks. Same idea, different pictures.
- Ask by suit and rank. Older players can ask for something specific, like the 7 of hearts, to make it harder.
The pairs version is the one I'd start with for a four-year-old. Once the pairs click, move to books and everyone enjoys it.
A little strategy for grown-ups
- Ask for the rank you hold the most of. It's the quickest way to finish a book.
- Remember who asked for what. A player who asked for 9s is holding at least one 9.
- Don't ask for the same rank twice in a row from the same player after a "Go fish". They've told you they have none.
- Keep a straight face. A big smile after a draw tells everyone you found something.
Tips for playing with kids
- Let them lay their cards on a table facing them, so they can see everything without dropping them.
- Say the question out loud together the first few turns: "Do you have any...?" The routine helps.
- Start with five cards each, even with two players, to keep the first game short.
- Praise memory, not just winning. "You remembered that Dad asked for 3s" is a lovely thing to hear.
- Don't worry if the rules bend a little. The point is a good time.
What to play next
Once Go Fish feels easy, try a game that adds a little more strategy. Uno and its house rules is a natural next step, because you still match by colour and number. And if you ever want to play on a phone, there are card games that work offline, which I've listed in free offline card games for Android.
Whatever you play, shuffle well. A badly shuffled deck means the same cards stay together game after game, and everyone gets suspicious.
Frequently asked questions
How many cards do you deal in Go Fish?
Deal seven cards each if two or three people are playing, and five cards each if four or more are playing. The rest of the deck goes face down as the pond.
Can you ask for a card you don't have in Go Fish?
No. You can only ask for a rank you already hold at least one card of. That rule keeps the game fair and gives the other players a clue.
What happens when you run out of cards in Go Fish?
House rules vary. Many groups let you draw cards from the pond on your turn. Agree on this before you start so there are no arguments.
What is a book in Go Fish?
A book is a set of all four cards of one rank, like the four 7s. When you collect one, you lay it face up in front of you.
How do you win Go Fish?
The game ends when all the books have been made. The player with the most books wins.
