Go Fish

Ask for cards and collect books of four

Offline

Play against bots, no connection needed.

Players
Bot skill

Online play

Match with other players. Start when the table is full.

Live matches

Loading…

How to play

  • 2 to 5 players, one 52-card deck. With 2 or 3 players, each gets 7 cards; with 4 or 5, each gets 5. The rest are placed face down as the “pond.”
  • On your turn, choose a rank from your hand, then choose an opponent who still has cards, and ask them for that rank. You can only ask for ranks you already hold.
  • If that opponent has the rank, they must give you all their cards of it, and you can ask again.
  • If not, they say “Go fish!” and you draw one card from the pond. If it's the rank you asked for, show it to everyone and ask again; otherwise, the turn passes to the player on your left.
  • Four cards of the same rank make a book, which is laid down right away. Books completed on the deal count too.
  • If you have no cards on your turn, draw one from the pond, then ask; if the pond is empty too, you're out. Players with no cards can't be asked.
  • The game ends when all 13 books are down; the player with the most books wins, and ties share the win. Online, each ask has a 20-second limit; on timeout, the game asks for you and auto-play starts.

Playing guide

These options and rules describe the current JoyPip version. Choose a mode above before starting; rules are also available during play.

Step-by-step examples

Select a step to see what changes. These are partial examples, not full starting positions.

Practice options

Players
2 players · 3 players · 4 players · 5 players
Bot skill
Beginner · Normal · Expert

Private room options

Players
2 players · 3 players · 4 players · 5 players

Detailed rules and controls

Memory tips
  • If someone asks for a rank, they hold it. Once you get that rank too, ask them for it.
  • A player who just said “Go fish” doesn't have that rank, so don't ask them for it until they've drawn a card.
  • Every ask tells everyone you hold that rank. Be careful with ranks you're close to completing, or someone may take them all.
Controls
  • Tap a group of cards in your hand to choose a rank, then tap a highlighted opponent or a button below to ask them.
  • “Hint” picks an ask for you. The log on the table shows the result of every ask.
  • Everyone can see how many cards are left in the pond and which books each player has laid down. Only the player who draws from the pond knows what they drew.
Special cases
  • If you're the only player with cards, draw one from the pond, and then it's the next player's turn.
  • If you're told “Go fish” when the pond is empty, you don't draw, and play passes to the next player.
  • A book is laid down as soon as it's complete, so you never keep four cards of one rank in your hand.

Frequently asked questions

Can you only ask for ranks you already hold?

An opponent just asked someone “Any Qs?”, so they hold at least one Q. If you also have a Q, ask that opponent for Qs on your turn, and you may collect them all at once. In turn, the ranks you ask for also tell others what you hold.

Do I need a download or a linked email?

Play directly in your browser without a download. Linking email is an optional way to recover your account. Before clearing browser data, consider whether you need to keep your account or local records.

Do matches earn or spend coins?

Earn coins by checking in and spend them on cosmetics. Matches never cost or award coins.

Report a problem

Try these related games