Fisherman’s Fours is a free card game that's 3 dimensional. It's Go Fish that's a three variable game. This game uses a special Triple Topper deck. Click here or scroll down to read more info or click on a link below.

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Rules to Fisherman’s Fours

Updated August 18, 2016

Fisherman’s Fours

The object of the game is to get as many sets of 4 as possible, just like the game Go Fish. However this is done with Triple Topper cards.

Number of Players: 3-6

Set up:

1. Use the Squares deck, which is 64 cards, and contains no blacks, blobs, or question marks. Either separate out the cards, or buy a separate deck.

2. Randomly determine seats and a dealer to shuffle. Person to the right cuts after the shuffle.

3. Dealer deals 5 cards, one at a time starting to his left and deal clockwise. Put the rest in the center in a face down pile.

4. If any person has a legal set (see below) they can place it down.

Play:

1. A legal set is all four cards that match in 2 of the 3 variables, like all 4 red 4’s, or all 4 heart 3’s or all 4 blue squares.

2. A player on his turn (which starts to the left of the dealer and goes clockwise) asks any other 1 single player (either by name or pointing to them) for a particular class of card he holds one or more cards of in his hand., which is called his bait The class of card is any 2 of the 3 variables. like yellow triangles for example, assuming you have 1 or more yellow triangles. Put the card face down and slide it to the person you’re asking. The card you show them must be of the type you’re asking for. No other player may see it. (The reason for this rule is because in regular Go Fish if you ask for a 6, everyone knows you have a 6 and it doesn’t matter what kind of 6 you have, but if you ask for a red 1, there are 4 different cards it could be, and if the card was shown to everyone, would tip off other players who are looking for that card in a different combination like a red circle for example, and yes, it does matter because you can ask for any combination of 2 out of 3 non-contradictory variables, a contradictory pair of values being a "red green" for example.)

3. If the player has one or more of the qualifying cards in either his hand (bait) or his boat (explained later) he/she must give them to you, and you put it in a face down pile in front of you separate from your hand called your boat. Never mix your boat and your bait. If you have a 4 of a kind that match in 2 variables, it is to your advantage to lay them face-up on the table now. If you have more than one option for a laydown, and all could not be fulfilled, study to see which one is best. As long as you get what you ask for, you go again, either asking a different person, or asking for a different type of card or both.

3. If the person you ask does not have what you wanted, he/she says "Go fish" You pull the top card from the center pile. Examine it BEFORE you put it in your hand. If it matches what you called for in both variables, show it and take another turn by asking a player for a class of card. Regardless of whether it matches, put it in your hand (bait) (unseen if it doesn’t match) If you get a foursome, lay it down, but you only get the extra turn if the last card pulled was what you last asked for.

4. Once in one player’s boat, cards get transferred from boat to boat until a foursome is made. The only way you add to your bait is to go fish.

5. If you make a match which depletes your hand, draw 5 more cards now. If someone asks for your last card in your hand, draw 5 more cards on your next turn.

6. Play until the deck runs out. When the deck runs out, everyone asks for each other‘s cards as long as you have bait. If you have no more bait. Shuffle your boat and randomly draw 5 cards (or the rest if less than 5). If someone declares they cannot finish a foursome with the cards they have. All cards are exposed. If someone sees a foursome using one card from the declarer’s hand he/she points it out, takes the cards in the foursome, lays it face-up, and compensates any third party’s card by fanning you the declarer’s fish and taking one card randomly for every card that was robbed of him. Unless there isn’t enough, then it goes one at a time in clockwise order among those who have a card owed.

7. Whoever has the most cards wins.

WILD RULES: 8. Use a whole deck, without Jokers.

9. Blacks, Blobs and Question Marks match any other color, suit, or number respectively for the purposes of making a four-of-a-kind.

10. For the purposes of asking, Blacks, Blobs and Question Marks are considered separate possibilities.

10a. If you have a black square 1, and you suspect someone has a natural red 1, you can’t ask for it unless you have a natural red 1.

10b. If someone asks for a red 3, you don’t give your red "?"

10c. If you suspect someone has a black circle 2, you must either have a black 2, a circle 2 or a black circle.

10d. If someone asks you for a blob 4, the only 4’s you give are natural blob 4’s

11.. You can show one card to an opponent and placed the newly acquired card in a four of a kind without using the card you just exposed.

12. For the purposes of fishing to the center, if you ask for a red 1, only a red 1 will extend your turn however, remember that you must show it to all before putting it in your hand. You can refuse to show it, but you don’t get your extra turn.

SHORTER GAME:

13. First one to a fixed number of 4’s of a kind wins, like 4 Fisherman’s Fours.