Quartets is a commercial card game similar to Go Fish. The game was invented in the Netherlands where it is known as kwartet. The game was originally created by Austrian card game company Piatnik during the 1960s, but later began being released by Dubreq, Ace, Waddingtons and other companies. Quartets, like Ace Trumps, were usually non-licensed.
Each pack originally contained 32 cards, divided into 8 groups of 4 cards, unlike a normal 52 pack of playing cards, but the number of groups changed from company to company.
The game went on to inspired Top Trumps.
Quartets is played with three or more players, with the aim to win all the quarts (sets of four). Each card usually has a number and letter (1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, 2A, 2B etc. ) in the top right or left corner of the card.
The cards are shuffled and dealt evenly between all the players and the cards get held face up in a players hand. The player to the dealer's left starts by asking another player if they had a certain card (example, card 4C) which would help the player create a quart. If the player does have the card, then they hand it over. If the player doesn't, then it becomes his turn to ask.
When a quart is created, or a complete quart was dealt, then the cards creating the quart are placed in front of the player.
The game ends when all the quarts have been created. The winner is the person with the most quarts.