Deal each player a hand of seven cards (2-3 player game) or five cards (4-5 player game). Set the rest of the cards aside to form the stock.
On a player’s turn, they must ask any other player if they have any of a specific rank of card. That player must have that rank of card in their hand in order to ask. The player that was asked gives all of their cards of that rank to that player. The player whose turn it is then may ask any player for any card again. If the player being asked does not have any of that card, they say “go fish,” and the asker must draw a card from the stock. If that card is the card they asked for, then they may continue their turn. Otherwise, play passes to the left. If a player ever has four cards of the same rank in their hands, they immediately them down on the table as a “book.” If a player ever has no cards in their hand, they must draw a card from the stock and ask for that rank. If the stock is empty, their turn is skipped.
Once all cards have been played in books, the game is over. The winner is whoever has the most books.