Fishfry
Fishfry Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
The Dice Markings
The five custom dice have three kinds of faces:
- HEAD
- TAIL
- PANFISH
Three further faces show BODIES worth 5, 10 and 20 points.
How to Play
Players take turns clockwise around a table, rolling the 5 custom dice.
The objective is to roll a HEAD, a TAIL, and BODIES to build the largest fish of all the players.
Each turn a player has THREE ROLLS. On the first roll, a player rolls all 5 dice. After that, a player has to choose which dice to keep and which dice to re-roll on the second and third rolls. A player may re-roll any dice except the PANFISH. PANFISH are set aside and can NOT be re-rolled.
Players may choose to keep all their dice at any time, and stay with the result they have rolled.
One fish may have 0, 1, 2, or 3 BODIES in it. Incomplete fish (extra parts) do not count in scoring. A player may catch and score 2 complete fish in one turn.
Scoring
After a player's turn, any fish and PANFISH are totaled and scored.
- A simple fish (a HEAD and a TAIL) is worth 10 points.
- BODIES add their numbered value to the 10 point score of a fish.
- Example: a fish with BODIES of 20 and 5 scores 10 + 20 + 5 = 35 points.
- PANFISH add ONE point EACH to a player's score.
- Example: a fish with BODIES of 5, plus two PANFISH, scores 15 + 2 = 17 points.
The FISHFRY
If a player manages to roll all 5 dice as PANFISH within the 3 rolls, it is a "FISHFRY!" All other players then "fry-up" and lose their fish. This player instantly WINS and takes the first turn in a new game of FISHFRY.
Winning the Game
After all players have rolled, the player who has the most points is the WINNER.
If two players TIE for the WIN, ALL players play again in a second chance game to win (also known as the ONE TIE - ALL TIE rule).
Tournament Rules
In the multiple round game of a FISHFRY tournament, players must keep track of fish they catch with a paper and pencil (not included).
There are many variations of FISHFRY tournaments which can be played. Here are 2 suggestions:
Total Points Tournament
In 5 rounds of play, players can keep all fish, even PANFISH. The points of each player's turn are recorded on paper, and added at the end to determine the winners.
This can also be played as a "FIRST-TO" tournament, without a limit of 5 rounds. The player who is the first to score 200 points, for example, wins. The score required can be changed if all players agree.
The Keeper Tournament
In 7 rounds of play, players can keep only 3 fish. If a player decides to keep a fish, it is recorded on paper. Once three fish are recorded, he/she is done fishing, and can not take any more turns to try and catch fish. Fish cannot be traded or "thrown back" to allow for another roll.
Unlike the main rules, PANFISH ALONE can not be kept as a fish, but they DO count by adding to the score of a regular fish.
Also unlike the main rules, catching 2 fish in one turn does not score a total of both fish. A player may keep only one fish per turn.
After 7 rounds, the player with the highest total points of fish wins.
This style of tournament can also be modified in the # of rounds/fish allowed before the game begins.
Special Tournament Rules
In a Tournament, the special "FISHFRY" roll is five PANFISH.
It is NOT an instant winner. The player who rolled the FISHFRY may select any fish currently caught by any one player, "fry it up," and eat it. That fish is subtracted from the other player's score. The player then rolls again in a free turn to try and catch fish.
In the Keeper Tournament, a player whose fish was "fried up" may now continue to play even if they had already recorded the 3 fish limit, provided there are rounds remaining in the game.
Some gamers prefer that ALL other players "fry-up" one fish (their choice), but this rule is up to your group.
TIES do NOT allow for the ONE TIE-ALL TIE rule. The tied players must split the awards for the 2 places they are tied for. Players may also choose an alternate way to break ties, if all the players agree before the game begins.
At the end of the tournament, players divide up the agreed upon awards for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place based on their catch.
I suggest using candy fish or fish-shaped crackers as awards, but many gamers prefer to play for higher stakes. The single round game is often played after all players ante into a pot, with the winner taking the entire pot.
(Interesting note: the World Record Muskellunge to date is 69 lbs. 15 oz.!)