OBJECTIVE: The objective of the game is to make more sets of four cards of the same rank, than your opponents.
NUMBER OF PLAYERS: 2 – 6 players (Best with at least 3 people)
NUMBER OF CARDS: standard 52-card
RANK OF CARDS: A, K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2
TYPE OF GAME: Matching
AUDIENCE: Children
How to Deal:
If there are only two players in the game then each player is dealt seven cards. If there are 3-6 players in the game, then each player is dealt five cards. The leftover cards are placed face down and will serve as the draw pile.
How to Play:
Select a person to go first. This person can be chosen at random in any manner of the players choosing. Player one starts by asking another random player for a particular card rank. Example, player one ask player four if they have any jacks in their hand. In order to ask for a card, you must have at least one of those cards in your hand. So if player one asks player four for jacks, player one must have a jack in hand, prior to asking. Player four is required to hand over all jacks in their hand to player one. If you receive a card from another player, you can continue asking that player for cards. If the player does not have the card asked for, then they will tell you to “Go Fish”.
How to Go Fish:
A player must draw a card from the deck pile when they do not receive the card they asked for from their opponent. If they happen to draw the exact card that they asked for, they must hold it up for other players to see, and then they may take another turn. If you draw a different card than the one asked for, then your turn is over and play moves to the player to your left.
How to win:
As mentioned, the goal is to collect sets of four cards of the same rank, rank meaning the value of the card, ex. (8,8,8,8).
When four cards of the same rank are collected, this is called a book. When a player makes a book they must show it to the other players, then they may place it face down in front of them.
The game continues until a player has made books out of all the cards in their hand, or the draw pile is emptied. The player that has collected the most books at this time, is the winner!