How to Play the Card Game Go Fish

Go Fish is a classic kid's card game. Its simplicity makes it ideal for introducing children to playing cards and the strategies and concepts involved. Go Fish (also known just as "Fish") is ideal for 3 to 6 players, though it can be played with only 2 people, and even up to 10. This makes the card game perfect for entertaining your own kids, or several at a party or gathering. Another appealing aspect of Go Fish is that the game generally lasts for about 10 minutes, so it doesn't take a toll on the short attention span of children (or the patience of adults).

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Shuffle your deck of cards thoroughly. Go Fish is played with one standard 52-card deck, without the joker cards.

2. Designate someone to be the dealer. This person deals 5 cards to each player. The only exception to this is when there are only 2 players, in which case 7 cards are dealt to both people. Place the remaining cards face down on the table in the middle of all the players.

3. Learn the object of the game. The object is to obtain groups of all 4 cards of 1 rank (i.e., all the 2s, all the 7s, all the queens, etc.).

4. Allow the person seated to the left of the dealer to take the first turn. The turns of play will progress clockwise.

5. Ask any other player if they have any cards of a rank that you have at least 1 card of. For example, if you have a 9, you can ask another player of your choosing if they have any 9s. If he does, he is required to give all of them to you. If he does not have any, his response should be "go fish."

6. Take another turn, asking another player for any particular card rank that you have, if you are given the card you asked for. If the player didn't have the card you requested and told you to "go fish," draw the top card from the pile on the table. If you happen to draw the card you'd asked for, say, "I fished my wish" and take another turn. If you don't draw the card you asked for, keep the card and your turn is over. Play goes on to the person to your left.

7. Place your groups of 4 cards of the same rank face-up in front of you when you acquire them.

8. End play when 1 player no longer has any cards left in her hands, or when the entire deck has been played through. The player with the most groups of 4 cards is the winner.

Tips & Warnings

• Pay attention to and remember what cards which players ask for. Since players can only ask for cards they have at least one of, this is how you figure out which players to ask for certain cards as play goes on. So, if you have three 8s, and another player asked someone else for 8s, you know where to get the last one from when it's your turn.