Go Fish: Play Online for Free (Solo & Multiplayer)

Go Fish is an easygoing card game for 2 to 6 players. You win by collecting books, sets of 4 cards of the same rank. It's a family favorite alongside classics like Crazy Eights.

You can play Go Fish online for free, and you don't need an account to start. Play against the computer or against other people online. Join a public table, or create a private one and invite friends and family. Wade into the pond and start fishing for those books!

Rules

Here's everything you need to play your first game. If you want the full reference or prefer learning by doing, our guide on how to play Go Fish has the complete rules and an interactive tutorial that walks you through a real game.

Objective

You're collecting books. A book is a set of 4 cards of the same rank, like 4 Jacks or 4 Sixes. Each book is worth 1 point, and the player with the most books when the game ends wins.

The deal

Go Fish uses a standard 52-card deck and seats 2 to 6 players. Everyone gets 5 cards, or 7 each in a 2-player game. The rest of the deck goes face down in a pile at the center of the table. That pile is called the pond. A random player goes first.

The play

On your turn, pick a card from your hand and choose another player to ask for that rank. If you pick a Jack, you might ask "Rob, do you have any Jacks?" If Rob holds any Jacks, he must hand all of them over and you get to ask again. If he has none, he says "Go Fish!" and you draw a random card from the pond. Draw the rank you just asked for and you get another turn. Draw anything else and play passes to the next player, going clockwise.

Scoring and winning

Whenever you collect all 4 cards of a rank, that book is removed from your hand and you score 1 point. The game ends the moment any player's hand is empty, and whoever has the most books wins.

How to win at Go Fish

Go Fish looks like pure luck, but memory decides most games. Every ask at the table tells you something, and good players remember all of it.

• Listen to every ask, not just the ones aimed at you. When someone asks for Queens, they hold at least one Queen. As soon as you pick up a Queen yourself, you know exactly who to ask.
• Watch what happens after a "Go Fish!". If the asker draws from the pond and gets to ask again, they drew the exact rank they asked for and now hold at least two of them.
• Prefer asking for ranks you hold only one of. Three more copies are still out there, so your odds of a hit are better, and you lose less if someone asks you for that rank later.
• Target players with big hands. The more cards someone holds, the better the chance they have the rank you want.
• Vary who you ask. Spreading your asks around teaches you more about more hands.
• Don't feel you must vary what you ask for. A new rank every turn maps out your whole hand for the table, and sooner or later that costs you cards.

Frequently asked questions

Can I ask for a rank I don't have?

No. You ask by picking a card from your own hand, so you must hold at least one card of the rank you're asking for.

What happens when the pond runs out of cards?

There's nothing left to draw, so a "Go Fish!" simply passes the turn to the next player. The game keeps going until someone's hand is empty.

How do I play Go Fish with friends?

Create a private table and tell your friends its name. Click the Menu button, check Private Table, then click Change next to Name and enter a table name. Everyone who enters the same name at their own private table lands at your table.

Can I play Go Fish against the computer?

Yes. Click the little grey robot next to any empty seat to invite a bot. You can fill every seat with bots and play entirely solo, which is a good way to learn the game before facing live players.

Can 2 people play Go Fish?

Yes. Go Fish works with anywhere from 2 to 6 players. In a 2-player game each player starts with 7 cards instead of 5.

How long does a game of Go Fish take?

About 26 minutes on average across the games played on this site. The game ends as soon as one player runs out of cards, so the pace depends on how quickly the books come together.

Is Go Fish free to play here?

Yes. Go Fish is free in your browser with no download and no signup. You only need an account if you want to keep long-term stats or play ranked games.

What games are similar to Go Fish?

If you enjoy Go Fish, try the site's other family favorites, such as Old Maid, Crazy Eights and Cribbage.