How to Play Go Fish
Know the objective., Know how to build a book., Know what it means to "fish.", Understand how the game ends.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Know the objective.
The goal in Go Fish is to collect as many "books," or sets of four cards of the same rank, as possible.
The person with the most books at the end of the game is the winner.
An example of a book would be having all four queens in a deck: the queen of hearts, the queen of spades, the queen of clubs, and the queen of diamonds.
A book doesn't have to be composed of face cards.
You could have a book of nines: the nine of hearts, the nine of spades, the nine of clubs, and the nine of diamonds. -
Step 2: Know how to build a book.
Players collect complete books by taking turns asking each other for a card they need to make a set of cards complete.
For example, if a player is dealt a two of clubs and a two of hearts, she will ask another player if he has a two.
In this way she adds cards to the book until it is complete. , If a player is asked for a card she has in her hand, she is obligated to hand over all cards of that rank.
If she does not have the card, she replies, "Go fish." The player who requested the card then "fishes" a card from the pile of extra cards called the "draw pile." This gives her an extra chance to obtain a card for one of the books she is building.
If a player receives the card she asked for or draws it from the pile, she gets another turn.
If a player doesn't end up with the card she asked for, her turn is over. , Players continue to go around the circle, asking for cards, drawing cards and creating books, until either someone has no cards left in his or her hands or the draw pile runs out.
The person with the most books is the winner. -
Step 3: Know what it means to "fish."
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Step 4: Understand how the game ends.
Detailed Guide
The goal in Go Fish is to collect as many "books," or sets of four cards of the same rank, as possible.
The person with the most books at the end of the game is the winner.
An example of a book would be having all four queens in a deck: the queen of hearts, the queen of spades, the queen of clubs, and the queen of diamonds.
A book doesn't have to be composed of face cards.
You could have a book of nines: the nine of hearts, the nine of spades, the nine of clubs, and the nine of diamonds.
Players collect complete books by taking turns asking each other for a card they need to make a set of cards complete.
For example, if a player is dealt a two of clubs and a two of hearts, she will ask another player if he has a two.
In this way she adds cards to the book until it is complete. , If a player is asked for a card she has in her hand, she is obligated to hand over all cards of that rank.
If she does not have the card, she replies, "Go fish." The player who requested the card then "fishes" a card from the pile of extra cards called the "draw pile." This gives her an extra chance to obtain a card for one of the books she is building.
If a player receives the card she asked for or draws it from the pile, she gets another turn.
If a player doesn't end up with the card she asked for, her turn is over. , Players continue to go around the circle, asking for cards, drawing cards and creating books, until either someone has no cards left in his or her hands or the draw pile runs out.
The person with the most books is the winner.
About the Author
Brittany Hayes
Writer and educator with a focus on practical organization knowledge.
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