Components
- 93 Playing Cards
- Instructions
Setup
Oldest player deals first. Rotate dealer clockwise in subsequent games.
For 3 to 6 players: Deal 7 cards to each player, face down.
For 2 players: Deal 10 cards to each player, face down.
Players should not look at their cards until instructed to do so by the dealer.
Place the remaining cards face down on the table to form a draw pile.
Object of the Game
Play one FISH card that no opponent can kill.
Game Play
This game is not played in turns. Players may play cards onto the discard pile at any time.
Players only draw cards if they invoke the Flint Flush rule explained later.
Start of Play
After the dealer places the remaining cards (draw pile) in the middle of the playing area, he/she exclaims "What the Fish!", which signals everyone to pick up and look at their cards.
The fastest person to place a FISH card face up on the table (this starts the discard pile) starts the game.
Fish (Teal Cards)
The only way to win the game is to have a FISH card that swims to freedom (does not get killed). Every player continually looks for the chance to play one of his/her FISH cards at one of three times during the game:
- Start of Play.
- After a Dead FISH.
- When someone plays a Beaver Buddha WTF card.
(A player can only play one FISH card at a time).
Kill a Fish (Red Cards)
If opponents play one or more KILL card(s) whose combined value is greater than the rank value of the FISH, the FISH is dead unless the player of the FISH can save it.
Opponents can all contribute KILL cards to kill a FISH.
Protection (Green Cards)
A FISH is saved by playing one or more protection cards whose combined value is of greater value than the KILL card(s) played on the FISH.
In another attempt to kill the fish, additional KILL card(s) may be played on top of the protection card(s), but the value of the KILL cards must exceed the value of the newly played protection cards.
A player can also attempt to save his/her FISH by playing WTF cards, which may enable the FISH player to obtain additional protection cards (see WTF cards below).
Dead Fish
If the FISH player is not able to save his/her FISH, he/she must place his/her hand face down on the table and at the same time announce, "Belly up, my fish is dead".
At this point, any player may place a (new) FISH on the discard pile in an attempt to swim to freedom.
A Player may not hold any FISH separately from his/her hand in order to be the first person to put down a new FISH.
Flint Fish
If, at any time, a player has no FISH in his/her hand, he/she may announce "Flint Flush", show his/her cards to the rest of the players, discard his/her cards to the bottom of the discard pile, then draw a new hand of 7 cards from the draw pile.
For 2 players, draw a new hand of 10 cards.
WTF Cards (Purple Cards)
WTF cards can be played at any time by placing one face up on the table and announcing how the card is to be played. After the effect is realized, the card is placed at the bottom of the discard pile.
Muggen. Croc: Take 2 cards randomly from another player.
Snappen Snatch: Swap entire hand with another player.
Mrs. Crobits: Look at another player's hand.
WTF Tax: Take 1 FISH card from another player (their choice).
BenFadklft/TmeT&vdleh.: Undo the last action. If the last action was a played card, the card is frozen face down on the table for the duration of the current FISH freedom swim.
Communist Manfifaj&: Take 1 card from a player and give it to another player without looking at it (not yourself, unless only 2 players are playing the game).
The Elvis Effect: Take 1 dead FISH card from the discard pile and put it in your hand (not the current FISH being played).
Beaven Buddha: End current FISH turn with no result. At this point, any player may place a (new) FISH on the discard pile.
No Fish
If no player wants to play a FISH card, all players reveal their hands, and the highest ranking FISH must play.
Empty Draw Pile
If the draw pile is ever exhausted, take all the cards from the discard pile (except the FISH in play and KILL cards played on it) and shuffle them to form a new draw pile.
End of the Game
If a player is able to play one FISH to the discard pile, and no opponent can KILL it, that player's FISH is free, and he/she has won the game.
Game Play Example:
After the dealers exclaims "What the Fish!", Player A is quickest to look at her cards, finds a #8 FISH card and puts it down.
Player B lays down his #4 KILL and #6 KILL (adding up to more than 8).
Player A lays down her #11 PROTECTION card (greater than the 10 Kill).
Player C lays down his only KILL, a #9, hoping another player has a KILL to add up to more than the #11 PROTECTION card.
Player A lays down (not on the draw pile) a WTF card that indicates "Swap Entire Hand with Another Player" and chooses to swap hands with Player C.
Player B lays down a #13 KILL, with the total Kill number adding up to 22.
Player A does not have a high enough combination of PROTECTION cards greater than 22, and does not have any WTF cards that can help. She then announces "Belly up, my fish is dead!"
Player C is fastest to lay down a FISH card, #11.
Player A lays down her only KILL card, #13.
Player C has no more FISH cards in his hand and decides to execute a Flint Flush.
Play continues until a Fish cannot be killed...
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