Who goes first in Flitze Flatze Bärentatze?

Rule details

During setup, shuffle the 36 net boards into two face-up stacks of 18 and put the top board from each stack in the center. Each player secretly draws a fish-color tile; return unused tiles to the box without looking at them.

On your turn, place a net board, move the salmon indicated by the visible fish, then move Babbling Bear if the required fish appear. Players take turns afterward; the English instructions do not specify a direction for player turns.

The clockwise arrow governs Babbling Bear’s movement. It does not specify the direction of player turns.

The cover lists two to four players. A setup note also permits five players; with five, every fish color belongs to a player.

The final-score tie-breaks compare fish left in rivers, then the fish closest to a spawning ground; several winners are possible. These do not resolve the opening criterion.

These Zoch English rules list two to four players, with an additional five-player option described during setup.

If there’s a tie

The rulebook doesn’t say.