Swimming with Sharks is a strategy game where players are controlling either Swimmer pieces or Shark pieces. Each player has 5 movement points to spend each turn, divided up among their pieces. The Swimmer side also has a Boat piece. Each piece has a movement cost. When pieces move, they must go in two directions (like a Knight in Chess). If a piece can move 4 spaces, it can move 1 in one direction and 3 in another, or 2 and 2. The object for the Swimmers is to have at least one Swimmer make it to shore on the opposite side of the board. The Sharks must prevent all Swimmers from making it. The Boat is a protector, and as long as a Swimmer is in an adjacent space, a Shark can not take the piece. There are 3 spaces marked with a Star. When a player moves their piece onto the Star space, they may draw a card. Cards typically consist of value amounts you can add to your movement for a turn. There are a number of special cards that can affect either or both teams. Players may hold as many cards as they like. Movement cards have no penalty to play, but special cards require the use of some movement points in order to be played.