How to Play Go Fish

Go Fish is a game that is loved for its nostalgia, silly phrasing and simplicity. Small children enjoying playing for hours on end, and it helps them recognize numbers and teaches them how to take turns. Go Fish or Fish can be played with a standard deck of cards or specialty decks, which are made in a variety of styles, characters and colors. So Go Fish! They're biting.

Things You'll Need

• Standard deck of cards (52)

Instructions

1. Gather at least two players and up to six. Deal each player seven cards, unless you have more than four players, then deal them five cards. Have them hold their cards in their hands, facing them.

2. Throw the rest of the cards into the "fish pond." This is the pool of cards you will be drawing from throughout the game.

3. Choose a player to start the play. Decide by who has the next closest birth date.

4. Determine what cards you plan to collect into groups of four. This is the goal of the game and you win by having the most sets of four.

5. Ask any other player for a specific card such as a three. Disregard suits. If this person has a three, he must hand it over to you. You then get to go again.

6. If the player does not have your requested card, he can tell you to "Go Fish!" This means you get to choose a card from the pile in the middle.

7. Say "I fished upon my wish" if you draw the card you were requesting. You then get to go again. If you did not receive the card you were looking for, your turn is ended and play moves to the left.

8. Place your groups of four on the table once you have collected them.

9. Win by collecting the most sets of four or tally the score when the fish pond is depleted. The person with the most foursomes wins.

10. Vary the game by collecting pairs instead of foursomes. This allows for immediate gratification by laying down pairs that are made when granted their wish card and it moves the game along quicker.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep track of what your opponents are requesting. It is rather easy to see what others are collecting. The larger the group, the harder it is to keep track.