Fishing is a card game created by designer Friedemann Friese. It mixes two styles of play: building a deck of cards and taking tricks. The game lasts for eight rounds. In every round, you try to win cards to score points. The cards you win are very important because they become part of your personal deck for the next round.

Your personal draw deck starts out empty. At the beginning of the game, you have no cards to draw from. In the first round, if you do not win enough cards to add to your deck, the game gives you a special help. This is where the game starts to get interesting. You need to win cards to build your deck, but the game makes sure you are not left behind if you start slowly.

How the Reserve Decks Work

When your personal draw deck runs out of cards, it means you need help. The game assists you by letting you draw powerful cards from reserve decks. There are several reserve decks available. Each of these decks contains cards that are stronger than the ones before it. This means the longer you play, the more powerful the cards become.

How many of these reserve decks are used in a game depends on how the game goes. Because more and more powerful cards get into circulation, the situation on the table changes as you play. The game evolves, and you must adapt to the stronger cards appearing in the game.

It might not be accurate to call this a standard deck-building game. This is because you do not have total control over which cards get added to your deck. You cannot choose exactly what you want. Instead, you just know that the cards you add will become stronger and stronger as the rounds go by.

Card Suits and Special Powers

The cards in the game come in four suits. The reserve decks introduce a trump suit to the game. In these reserve decks, you will also find cards with higher numbers than the starting cards. Additionally, there are cards with special powers that can change the game.

One special power in the game allows you to steal one card from the current trick. You can do this even if you do not win the trick yourself. Another special power lets you become the start player for the next trick. Having the lead can be a big advantage in this game.

The Flow of the Game

The game has an interesting ebb and flow. If you do poorly in a round, you will get to draw new powerful cards from the reserves. These strong cards can help you greatly in the next round. However, it might not be a good idea to intentionally lose all the time. It is still important to score points throughout the game.

The special power card that lets you steal someone else’s card is very important. This is one way you can improve your deck without needing to lose too much. It also helps you avoid taking too many weak cards into your deck. Using these powers wisely is key to winning.

Managing Your Cards

Whenever you win a trick, you place the cards in a pile on the left side of your play area. This helps you keep track of how many cards you have won in the current round. When the round ends, you shuffle these won cards. Then, you add them to the bottom of your personal draw deck, which is usually on the right side.

This process creates a cycle. You win cards, shuffle them into your deck, and then draw them in the next round. The better you do, the better cards you will likely draw later in the game.

These are some of the reserve cards from the strongest reserve deck (5 stars).

You can do a fair bit of card counting in this game. By observing which cards your opponents have won, you can guess what cards they have in their decks. This allows you to somewhat anticipate their moves. This is a strategic element in the game that requires attention.

For 4 players, these are the hand sizes for each of the 8 rounds.

Fishing is a fun twist to the trick-taking genre. It adds a layer of deck-building that feels unique. I like it! It offers a fresh experience for players who enjoy card games.