Sushi Go! Card Game
Pick a sushi dish and pass the rest. Learn every card’s points, Maki majorities, Chopsticks timing, Wasabi multipliers and Pudding scoring.
Sushi Go! is a quick card-drafting game by Phil Walker-Harding, published by Gamewright. Players select one card each turn, reveal it simultaneously, then pass the remaining hand left. After three rounds, the person with the best mix of sushi dishes and dessert scores wins.
This guide explains the original game’s setup and full scoring—not the alternate menu rules of Sushi Go Party!—with worked examples and answers to common rules questions.
The decision that matters most
A drafted card can improve your own set or prevent an opponent from completing theirs. But incomplete Sashimi and Tempura sets score nothing, so every choice depends on what is still likely to circulate.
Game at a Glance
1. Choose
Keep one card from your hand.
2. Reveal
Everyone shows their chosen card together.
3. Pass
Send the remaining hand left.
4. Score
Count sets each round, desserts after round three.
Sushi Go! setup by player count
The original Gamewright box contains 108 cards. Shuffle them and deal secret hands according to player count. Put the rest into a face-down draw pile and choose a scorekeeper.
| Players | Cards each round |
|---|---|
| 2 | 10 |
| 3 | 9 |
| 4 | 8 |
| 5 | 7 |
The game lasts three rounds. The original deck has 14 Tempura, 14 Sashimi, 14 Dumplings, 26 Maki Roll cards, 20 Nigiri, 10 Puddings, six Wasabi and four Chopsticks.
How to play: pick one card and pass left
Everybody secretly selects one card from their current hand and places it face down. When all players are ready, reveal simultaneously. Then pass the remaining hand to the player on your left and pick up the new hand passed to you.
Repeat this process as hands shrink, keeping chosen cards face up in your own tableau. When each hand reaches its last remaining card, that card is added to its recipient’s tableau. Score the round, set aside Puddings and discard the other drafted cards.
For rounds two and three, deal fresh hands from the deck, rather than putting previously drafted non-Pudding cards back into the draw pile.
Full Sushi Go! scoring chart
| Card | How it scores | Key detail |
|---|---|---|
| Tempura | 5 points per pair | One alone: 0 |
| Sashimi | 10 points per set of three | One or two: 0 |
| Dumpling | 1/3/6/10/15 for 1/2/3/4/5+ | Capped at 15 |
| Squid Nigiri | 3; 9 with Wasabi | Triple when dipped |
| Salmon Nigiri | 2; 6 with Wasabi | Triple when dipped |
| Egg Nigiri | 1; 3 with Wasabi | Triple when dipped |
| Maki Rolls | Most icons: 6; second: 3 | Count icons, not cards |
| Chopsticks | 0 | Draft an extra card later |
| Wasabi | 0 alone | Triples next Nigiri |
| Pudding | Most +6; fewest −6 at game end | Two-player exception |
How Wasabi and Nigiri work together
If you already have an unused Wasabi card face up, the next Nigiri you draft must be placed on top of it. The Nigiri’s value is tripled: Squid becomes 9, Salmon 6 and Egg 3. Each Wasabi takes only one Nigiri.
Wasabi alone scores zero. You cannot save an unused Wasabi for a later round, and you cannot decide to keep the next Nigiri undipped when Wasabi is waiting. If you have multiple unused Wasabi cards, each may receive one subsequent Nigiri.
Example: you draft Wasabi, then Salmon Nigiri and later Squid Nigiri. Salmon is worth 6 because it went onto Wasabi; Squid scores its regular 3, unless you had a second unused Wasabi.
Chopsticks: taking two cards in one turn
If Chopsticks are already face up in front of you from a previous selection, you may use one set on a subsequent turn to choose two cards instead of one from the hand currently held.
Before revealing, call “Sushi Go!”, put your second chosen card face down alongside the first, then return that Chopsticks card to the hand you will pass left. You cannot use Chopsticks on the same turn you first draft them, and may use at most one Chopsticks card per turn.
Timing example: you previously drafted Chopsticks. A later hand contains Squid Nigiri and the third Sashimi you need. You can draft both now, then put Chopsticks back into the passing hand. This is a way to complete valuable combinations while denying an opponent one of those cards.
Maki roll scoring and ties
At each round’s end, count the printed Maki Roll icons on every player’s drafted Maki cards. The player with the most icons earns six points. Second most earns three.
If players tie for most, they split the six points evenly with remainders ignored, and nobody receives second place points. If there is one winner for most and several players tie for second, those second-place players divide three points, rounding down.
Example: players have 7, 7, 5 and 2 Maki icons. The two leaders receive three points each; the other players get no Maki points. In a different round with 8, 6, 6 and 1 icons, the leader gets six, while the two tied runners-up receive one each.
Pudding: scoring across all three rounds
Unlike other drafted cards, Pudding remains in your tableau between rounds. Count every player’s accumulated Puddings only after scoring round three.
The most Puddings earns six bonus points, divided equally among tied leaders, rounding down. The fewest Puddings—including zero—loses six points, divided equally among players tied for last, rounding down.
Two-player exception: Nobody receives a negative Pudding penalty in a two-player game; award only the six points for having the most, subject to the tie rule. Ties for total game score are broken by the player with the most Puddings.
End-of-game scoring example
Suppose after three rounds your recorded totals are 22, 18 and 25. You have five Puddings and the other two players have three and one. Your round subtotal is 65; you score six Pudding points for a final 71. The player with one Pudding loses six from their own round subtotal.
The player with the highest final total wins. In a tie, the one with the most Pudding cards wins. Completed Tempura and Sashimi sets do not carry between rounds; only Puddings persist.
Eight practical Sushi Go! strategies
- Assess Sashimi completion probability. One or two Sashimi score zero, so don’t over-invest late in a round.
- Use early Chopsticks for flexibility. They are more effective when you will see several more hands.
- Keep track of Wasabi. Squid Nigiri creates the largest triple benefit, but even Salmon may be worth using before the round ends.
- Count Maki icons, not cards. A three-icon card can outweigh several single-icon cards.
- Value the marginal Dumpling. The increase from three to four Dumplings is four points, while a sixth adds nothing.
- Track opponents’ revealed tableaus. Draft denial matters most when one card can complete a rival’s set.
- Don’t forget desserts. Puddings score once after all three rounds and can break game ties.
- Adjust by player count. Smaller player counts grant larger hands each round; fewer cards circulate as the drafting progresses.
These are editorial deductions from the published rules, not claims of personal playtesting.
Sushi Go! vs Sushi Go Party!
Sushi Go! uses a fixed menu of card types and supports two to five players in a small 108-card box. Sushi Go Party! adds a game board, a larger choice of interchangeable menu cards and supports up to eight players.
The original is a good starting point if you prefer minimal setup, portability and an easy-to-teach three-round draft. Party! is better suited to groups wanting to customize the combination of appetizers, specials and desserts between games.
For the more flexible version, read our Sushi Go Party! guide. The rules and scoring of its alternative menu cards should not be assumed to apply to the original deck.
Sushi Go! FAQ
How many people can play?
Two to five.
How many cards do you deal?
Ten each with two players, nine with three, eight with four and seven with five.
How many rounds are played?
Three.
Do you pass cards left or right?
Left in the original rules.
How much is three Sashimi worth?
Ten points; one or two alone score zero.
How many Dumplings earn 15 points?
Five or more.
Does Wasabi multiply every Nigiri?
No. It triples only the next Nigiri placed on it, with one Nigiri per Wasabi.
Can you use Chopsticks immediately?
No. They must already be in front of you at the beginning of a later drafting turn.
Do Puddings remain between rounds?
Yes, and they are scored after round three.
Are Pudding penalties used in two-player games?
No. Only positive Pudding points are awarded.
What breaks a tie?
The player with more Puddings wins the tie.
Official sources and editorial scope
- Gamewright official Sushi Go! rules PDF
- Gamewright product page, credits and player specifications
- Searchable rules transcription with card scoring
Gamewright documentation reviewed October 11, 2026. This is an original instructional guide with editorial examples and strategy, not a claimed personal playtest. Editorial policy and corrections.