How to Play

A team deduction card game for 6 or 8 players in two teams, using a 48-card deck (standard pack minus the 8s) divided into 8 half-suits. Ask opponents for specific cards, then claim half-suits by naming exactly which teammate holds each card; most half-suits wins.

Literature (also called Canadian Fish, Russian Fish, or just Fish) is a deduction and team-asking card game for 6 or 8 players in two equal teams. A 48-card deck (a standard 52-card pack with all four 8s removed) is divided into eight 'half-suits' of 6 cards each: the low half of each suit (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7) and the high half (9, 10, Jack, Queen, King, Ace). On your turn you ask a specific opponent for a specific card from a half-suit in which you hold at least one card; if they have it, you collect it and ask again; if they do not, play passes to them. At any time a player (or teammate they nominate) may claim a half-suit by announcing exactly which teammate holds each of its 6 cards; a correct claim wins the half-suit for your team, an incorrect claim gives it to the opponents. Highest team score across the 8 half-suits wins; a 4-4 tie is possible.

Players

6 or 8 players in two equal teams (3-vs-3 or 4-vs-4), seated alternately around a table so no two teammates sit next to each other. 6-player is the canonical form and is considered the sharpest variant. Play proceeds counter-clockwise or clockwise by agreement; the direction only matters for turn passing after a failed ask.

Card Deck

A 48-card deck: one standard 52-card French-suited pack with all four 8s removed. The 8s are removed so the remaining cards divide evenly into eight 6-card half-suits. for the high spades; for the low spades; and similarly for each of the other three suits.

Objective

Claim more of the 8 half-suits than the opposing team by correctly stating which teammate holds each of the 6 cards in the half-suit. A score of 5-3, 6-2, 7-1, or 8-0 wins the game for the higher team; 4-4 is a tied match.

Setup and Deal

1. Seat the two teams alternately around the table; no two teammates sit adjacent. Label the teams A and B.
2. Shuffle the 48-card deck. Deal all cards face down, one at a time, so each player holds 8 cards (for 6 players) or 6 cards (for 8 players).
3. Players sort their hands by half-suit (two sort criteria per suit: high vs low half).
4. The player chosen to start (by high card, by agreement, or by the team that lost the previous game) takes the first turn.

Gameplay

1. Asking: On your turn, you ask any specific opponent for any specific card (e.g., 'Asha, do you have the 3 of Diamonds?'). Three restrictions: (1) you must already hold at least one card from the same half-suit as the asked card, (2) you may not ask for a card you already hold, and (3) you may not ask a teammate.3♦
2. Correct ask (they have it): The opponent must hand the card over face-up; you add it to your hand and take another turn (you may ask again, possibly a different opponent).
3. Incorrect ask (they do not have it): The turn passes to the player you asked; they now take a turn (asking anyone on the opposing team for any specific card under the same rules).
4. Claiming a half-suit: On your turn (before or instead of asking), you may attempt to claim a half-suit by announcing, for each of the 6 cards, which player on your team holds it. This may include yourself. You must name a specific player for each card; saying 'someone on my team' is not a valid claim.
5. Correct claim: All 6 assignments are exactly right. Your team wins the half-suit; all 6 cards are removed from play and placed face up in front of your team.
6. Incorrect claim: At least one card is assigned to the wrong teammate. The opposing team wins the half-suit. All 6 cards from that half-suit are removed from play, regardless of where they were.
7. Split claim (optional rule): If a half-suit is split such that some cards are on your team and some are on opponents', the claiming team must announce this and correctly name where all 6 cards are (including on opponents). If correct the claim stands; if not it fails. Varies by house rules.
8. Empty hand: A player who runs out of cards can no longer ask. Teammates who still hold cards may claim from their hand on behalf of the team. The empty-handed player may take no further action until the game ends.
9. No cards on your team: If an entire team is out of cards and no half-suit remains uncalled, the game ends. Count claimed half-suits and compare.

Scoring

1. Each claimed half-suit: 1 point for the claiming team.
2. Total available per game: 8 points (one per half-suit).
3. Game win: First team to 5 half-suits wins automatically (even before all 8 are resolved). If all 8 are resolved and the score is 4-4, the game is a tied match.
4. Match scoring (optional): Across a session, count games won; first team to 5 games wins the match.

Winning

The team that claims the majority of the 8 half-suits wins the game. A 5-3, 6-2, 7-1, or 8-0 split all count as wins; a 4-4 split is a draw and the next game is played with the starting team's roles reversed.

Common Variations

• Canadian Literature (6-player standard): The canonical form; 6 players, 2 teams of 3, 8 cards each. Most serious clubs use this variant exclusively.
• Russian Fish (8-player): Same rules but 8 players (2 teams of 4) each holding 6 cards. Higher information density, tougher claiming.
• Simplified Fish (for children): Use the full 52-card deck; on a failed ask, the asker draws 1 card from the stock (like Go Fish); target is to collect 4 of a kind rather than half-suits. Different game; not true Literature.
• Timed Literature: Every turn must be taken within 20 or 30 seconds to prevent long deliberation.
• Silent Literature: All non-asking communication is forbidden, including eye signals and body language. Increases deduction difficulty.
• Pass-play rule: Allow the current asker to pass the turn to a teammate (used in some regional variants); dramatically weakens the game's deduction layer and is not recommended.

Tips and Strategy

• Pay attention to every ask in the game, not just asks involving you. Each successful or failed ask reveals information about card locations that you can use later. Serious players track every transfer mentally.
• Early in the game, ask for cards you know an opponent cannot have to avoid giving away information. You can do this by asking a player who has not been asked at all yet; they're unlikely to hold specific cards.
• Claim half-suits AS SOON as you are certain all 6 cards' locations are determined, not after. Waiting lets opponents gather more info and possibly claim against you.
• Use asking patterns as signals. An unusual ask (e.g., asking for the 3 of Spades when you have the other 5 low Spades) tells your teammates you want them to also ask for low-Spades to pull a half-suit together.3♠
• In 6-player Literature, remember that a half-suit split 3-3 between teams can still be claimed if you know exactly which 3 teammates and which 3 opponents hold what. Do not wait for the half-suit to consolidate before claiming.
• The opening move is the riskiest for revealing information; start with an ask that confirms a guess you are 70%+ confident about rather than a pure fishing expedition.

Glossary

• Half-suit (or set, or book): A 6-card subset of a suit; either the low half (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7) or the high half (9, 10, J, Q, K, A). There are 8 half-suits total.2♠3♠4♠5♠6♠7♠
• Ask: The action of requesting a specific card from a specific opponent.
• Claim (or declare): Announcing which teammate holds each of the 6 cards in a half-suit.
• Correct ask: An ask that hits; the asked opponent has the card and hands it over.
• Failed ask: An ask that misses; the turn passes to the asked opponent.
• Split half-suit: A half-suit with cards held by both teams; still claimable under most rule sets if all 6 locations are correctly named.
• Empty hand: A player who holds no cards; can neither ask nor be asked, though teammates may still claim on their behalf.