The quick version
Shuffle a 12-card deck each. All start together, showing only the top action. Find someone showing the same action, do it together and both discard that card. If no partner matches, move the card to your deck’s bottom and try the next. First to discard every card wins. Walk during place swaps and keep discards on the table.
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Make room for the matching
Choose one complete color deck per person: three High Five, three Fish Bump, three Happy Salmon and three Switch It Up cards. Shuffle separately and hold face down. Clear chairs and clutter from the walking route around a small table; put a discard area in the middle.
Demonstrate the four actions before starting. High Five is a gentle palm tap. Fish Bump is a gentle front-knuckle tap. Happy Salmon is two light mutual forearm taps. Switch It Up means trade standing places while keeping your own deck. Use the no-contact twist below if anybody prefers it, agreeing before the race.
Everyone matches at once
On a shared start signal, turn your deck so only its top card is visible. Call the action or show its gesture, and find another player with that same top card. Complete the matching action together, then each places their own card in the discard area and starts seeking their next partner.
There are no turns and no obligation to keep the same partner. Only two matching top cards can be discarded by an action. If nobody currently matches, move your top card to the bottom as often as needed; it still must be completed later.
Stop immediately when somebody discards their last card and announces it. That person wins. If a final matched action empties both participants’ decks together, they share the win under this guide’s tie convention. Sort colors and shuffle for another race.
Keep the energy in the game
Call clearly without shouting into anyone’s ear. Walking is enough for place swaps; speed comes from spotting a match. Pause the whole race if cards spill into the walking area. Reset misplaced cards without awarding a penalty, then use a shared restart signal.
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Ideas & Twists
Choose a variation together before you start.
Happy Salmon · See main rules
Published variantSilent salmon
Use only the printed gestures to find partners; no spoken calls. Keep all four actions, matching and the empty-deck finish. Agree a visible raised-hand signal to announce finishing.
Happy Salmon · See main rules
House suggestionNo-contact signals
Replace High Five with raised open palms facing each other, Fish Bump with fists held apart, and Happy Salmon with two synchronized hand waves. For Switch It Up, trade places by walking without contact. Both players must acknowledge the action before discarding.
Happy Salmon · See main rules
House suggestionSeated matching
Stay seated and replace Switch It Up with both players raising their decks, then returning them to their own places. Use the no-contact signals for all other actions. Never exchange decks. Keep the same race to empty.
Happy Salmon · See main rules
House suggestionHalf deck
Use one copy of each action plus two additional cards of different actions, giving everybody the exact same six-action mix. Shuffle each separately. Race normally; repeat with a new common mix if desired.
Happy Salmon · See main rules
House suggestionThree-race score
Play three separate races. Award one point to every player who shares a first-place finish; everyone else gets zero. Sort and reshuffle between races. Most points after three wins, with shared ties.
About this guide
Main simultaneous matching follows the 4–8-player setup in the linked current rulebook. Silent play is published. Gentle contact, walking, tidy discards, pause/tie conventions and remaining variations are house hosting choices. Community evidence is added to the packet separately.
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