
- BGG rank
- BGG #2,666
- BGG rating
- 6.5
Sleeping Queens
- 2–5 players
- 20 min
- Complexity 1.1/5
- 2005

Rules assistance for Go Fish
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 2 players

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Go Fish is a board game for 2–6 players, 20 minutes per game, and ages 4 and up. Its main mechanics are Set Collection and Memory.
Go Fish is a standard deck playing card game and is one of the first card games taught to children in the United States. Players try to complete sets of four of the same number cards (the two of hearts, diamonds, clubs, and spades together would be a set). After dealing 6 cards to each player, the first player asks one other player if they have any cards matching one in their hand - "Do you have any 2's?". If player 2 has any cards matching the requested card, they must surrender all matching cards to the asking player and player 1 gets another turn. If player 2 doesn't have any matches, he says "Go Fish" and player 1 draws from the draw pile. If the card drawn matches the last card asked for or makes a set, player 1 gets another turn. If not, play moves to the player. The first player who ends his turn with no cards left in his hand (all cards are in sets), wins.
Go Fish supports 2–6 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Go Fish is 20 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Go Fish for ages 4 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Go Fish has a complexity rating of 1.1 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Go Fish belongs to these categories: Card Game, Children's Game, and Deduction. Its main mechanics are Set Collection and Memory. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The catalogue lists Go Fish as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.