Tichu

1991

Experience Tichu, a captivating card game that blends tactics and chance! Outplay opponents, win tricks, score points, and race to 1,000 to claim victory.

60
minutes

4 - 4
player(s)

10+

Medium

About the game

Tichu is an engaging and thrilling card-based board game that originated from Asia. It’s a strategic and skill-based game known for its intense player dynamics, interesting blend of luck and strategy, and its unique blend of traditional card game elements with innovative gameplay mechanics.

The game is set in a casual, competitive environment where players are paired into teams of two. The setting doesn’t follow a particular theme or story, but it creates an atmosphere of friendly competition and intense strategy. The goal is simple – be the first team to reach 1000 points.

Game components Unboxing the fun!

Tichu is a trick-taking card game with a variety of components. Here are the main elements of the game:

Cards: There are 56 cards in Tichu, divided into four suits: Sword, Pagoda, Star, and Jade. Each suit contains cards numbered from 2 to 10 and three face cards: Jack, Queen, and King. These cards are used for playing tricks during the game. Players try to get rid of their cards by playing them in tricks. The cards interact with the game by determining the winner of each trick based on their suit and number.

In addition to these standard cards, there are four special cards:

The Mah Jong: This card has a value of 1 and it gives the player holding it, the right to start the first trick.
The Dog: This card allows the player to give their partner the lead for the next trick. It cannot be used in a trick.
The Phoenix: This card can be used as any other card and increases the value of the card it represents by 0.5. However, when played alone, it is only worth 1.5 points.
The Dragon: This is the highest single card and beats any other card when played in a trick. However, if it wins a trick, it must be given to an opponent.

Score Pad: This is used to keep track of each team’s cumulative score throughout the game. It interacts with the game by providing a record of the points each team has earned from tricks and bonuses.

Rules Booklet: This component provides the detailed instructions, rules, and scoring system for the game. It serves as the guide for gameplay and ensures players understand how to play and win the game.

Game setup Lay it out, line it up, let’s go

Tichu is a partnership climbing card game where the aim is to get rid of your cards as fast as possible. The following steps will guide you through setting up a game of Tichu:

Setting up the game:

Player Arrangement: Tichu is a game for four players. Players should be seated around the table such that partners are sitting across from one another.
Deck Preparation: Shuffle all 56 cards of the Tichu deck. The deck contains 52 cards in four suits (Jade, Sword, Pagoda, and Star), plus four special cards (Mah Jong, Dog, Phoenix, and Dragon).
Deal the Cards: Deal eight cards to each player to start. Players can look at these cards but should keep them secret from other players.
Initial Tichu Call: After examining their initial eight cards, players have the option to call “Tichu”. This is a declaration that the player believes they can be the first to get rid of all their cards. Calling Tichu at this stage earns extra points if successful, but results in a penalty if failed.
Completing the Deal: Deal the remaining six cards to each player, for a total of 14 cards per player. Players can no longer call Tichu after this point.

Preparing for Play:

Card Exchange: Before play begins, each player chooses three of their cards to pass to other players: one to their partner, and one each to the two opponents. This is done simultaneously and then the passed cards are revealed.
Lead Player: The player with the Mah Jong card in their hand (the 1 of Jade) leads the first trick. In the case of the Mah Jong card being passed to another player, the receiver of the card will start the game.

Random Elements:

Since Tichu is a card game, the main random element is the deal of the cards. The distribution of the cards varies from round to round and affects the strategies players might use. Additionally, the special cards (Mah Jong, Dog, Phoenix, and Dragon) have unique abilities that can drastically change the course of a round when they are played.

Game flow Round and round we go

Tichu is a trick-taking card game that requires strategy and teamwork. It is usually played by four players, divided into two teams. The game is played in rounds until one team reaches a total score of 1000 points.

Setup: At the beginning of the game, the entire deck of 56 cards (including four special cards: Mah Jong, Dog, Phoenix, and Dragon) is dealt evenly among the players. Each player gets 14 cards.

Calling Tichu: After the initial deal, before the first card is played, a player may declare “Tichu”, a bet that this player’s team will be the first one to get rid of their cards. Calling Tichu brings potential bonus points if successful, but penalties if failed.

Exchange of Cards: Each player selects three cards to pass to their opponents – one card to each opponent. Each player gives one card to their partner and one card to each of their opponents. The exchange is done simultaneously so it does not give information about the hands.

Playing Tricks: The player with the Mah Jong card starts the game. Players play tricks in a clockwise order. Each trick consists of one or more cards, and it can be single cards, pairs, triples, full house, straight of at least five cards, or bomb. The player who played the highest trick takes the trick and leads the next one.

The Mah Jong: This card allows the player who holds it to go first. It also has a special ability: the player can call a specific rank of card they want to be played during the round.
The Dog: This card immediately ends the player’s turn and the lead passes to their partner.
The Phoenix: This card can be used as a wildcard in a combination or played alone. When played alone, it’s value is 1.5 points.
The Dragon: This is the highest single card. If it wins a trick, the player must give all cards from that trick to an opponent.

Scoring: The round ends when one team has played all of their cards. Teams add or subtract points based on the cards they won in tricks and whether they succeeded or failed in their Tichu or Grand Tichu bids. The game continues with new rounds until one team reaches 1000 points.

Players'turn One turn to rule them all

Tichu is a complex and strategic card game with many potential actions and decisions each turn. Understanding these is key to mastering the game. The following will provide a detailed breakdown of a player’s turn in ‘Tichu’, including all possible actions and strategic considerations.

Once the cards are dealt, the player with the Mah Jong card begins their turn. During a player’s turn, they can take one of the following actions:

Play a card or a combination: On their turn, a player can play a single card, a pair of cards, a sequence of pairs, a three of a kind, a full house, a sequence of at least five cards, or a bomb. The next player must then either pass or play the same number of cards with a higher value.
Pass: If a player cannot or chooses not to play any cards, they pass. Once a player passes, they cannot play any more cards until the next trick is played.
Call ‘Tichu’: Before playing their first card, a player can call ‘Tichu’. This is a declaration that they believe they will be the first player to get rid of all their cards. If they succeed, their team scores bonus points, but if they fail, their team loses points.

Strategic considerations during a player’s turn may include:

When to play higher or lower value cards: Higher value cards can win tricks, but once they are played, they are gone. Balancing when to play high value cards versus saving them for later can greatly affect the outcome of the game.
When to call ‘Tichu’: Calling ‘Tichu’ can provide a significant point advantage, but also comes with risks. Making this decision requires assessing both the strength of one’s own hand and estimating the strength of the other players’ hands.
When to pass: Sometimes, it is strategically sound to pass, even if a player could play cards. This can be done to save stronger cards for later or to prevent another player from playing their cards.
When to play a bomb: A bomb can be played at any time and automatically wins the trick. However, it is the most powerful tool a player has, and deciding when to use it can be a game-changing decision.

Understanding these actions and strategic decisions is crucial to becoming a skilled player of ‘Tichu’. By carefully considering their options each turn, a player can greatly influence the flow and eventual outcome of the game.

End of the game All good games must come to an end

The game of ‘Tichu’ ends when one team reaches or surpasses a total score of 1000 points. It may also end prematurely if a team’s score falls into the negative, whereupon the team with the higher score is declared the winner.

Victory Conditions:

There are several ways to score points in ‘Tichu’. These are:

Tichu or Grand Tichu: Before a player plays their first card, they may declare either Tichu (for 100 points) or Grand Tichu (for 200 points). If they win the round, their team gains the declared points. However, if they lose the round, their team loses the declared points.
Winning the last trick: The team that wins the last trick of a round scores 10 points.
Cards: At the end of each round, teams score points based on the cards left in their tricks. Kings and tens are worth 10 points each, fives are worth 5 points each, and the Dragon is worth 25 points. The Phoenix, however, deducts 25 points.

At the end of the round, if one team has managed to take all the tricks (a clean sweep), they score an additional 200 points. This is known as a ‘Double Win’.

Actions Before Final Scoring:

There are certain actions players must take before final scoring can take place. These include:

Card Exchange: At the beginning of each round, players must pass a single card to each of their teammates and opponents.
Card Play: Players must play their cards, attempting to win tricks and score points. They can play a single card, a pair, a straight, or a full house, among other combinations.
Declaration of Tichu or Grand Tichu: As mentioned earlier, before a player plays their first card, they may declare ‘Tichu’ or ‘Grand Tichu’.

Once these steps have been completed, the round ends and scoring can take place. If no team has reached the 1000 point victory condition, a new round begins.

Scoring Did you outsmart your rivals?

Tichu is a strategic partnership card game where the objective is to be the first team to reach a specified score, typically 1000 points. The scoring system in Tichu is a combination of card values, bonuses for certain declarations, and penalties for failed declarations.

Below is a detailed explanation of how points are awarded in Tichu:

Card Values: Each card in the game has a specific point value. The 5’s are worth 5 points, the 10’s and Kings are worth 10 points, and the Dragon is worth 25 points. All other cards do not have a point value.
Tichu and Grand Tichu: Before the hand is fully dealt, a player can declare a ‘Grand Tichu’, predicting that they will be the first to get rid of all their cards. This declaration is worth 200 points if successful, but a failed Grand Tichu will cost the team 200 points. After the hand is dealt, but before the player plays their first card, they can declare a ‘Tichu’, with the same objective. A successful Tichu is worth 100 points, while a failed Tichu costs 100 points.
Dragon Transfer: If a player wins a trick containing the Dragon, they must give all the cards in that trick to an opponent of their choice. This can be a strategic move to prevent the opposing team from gaining points.
Phoenix Deduction: The Phoenix card acts as a wildcard, but it deducts 25 points from the team’s total score when it is played.
End of Round Scoring: At the end of each round, teams add up the point values of the cards they have won in tricks. If one player managed to get rid of all their cards first (made ‘out’), their team gets the points from the cards left in the hands of the remaining players. If both players from one team made ‘out’ before either player of the other team, the round ends immediately and the winning team scores 200 points while the losing team scores nothing.

In case of a tie, the Tichu tie-breaking rules are as follows:

The team that won the most recent round is considered the winner.
If the last round was a tie, then the team that won the round before that is the winner.
This pattern is followed backwards until a round is found where the teams did not tie. That round’s winner is declared the overall winner.

Particular Cases and Exceptions Wait… is that legal?

Tichu is a trick-taking card game that demands strategic thinking and teamwork. While the game’s basic rules are straightforward, there are a few special rules and exceptions that players need to be aware of:

Bomb:

A Bomb is a special combination that can be played at any time, even if it’s not the player’s turn. A Bomb can beat any other card combination, except for a higher Bomb. There are two types of Bombs: a sequence of at least five cards of the same suit, or four cards of the same rank.

Passing Cards:

At the beginning of each round, every player must choose three of their cards to pass to the other players – one each to the player on their left, the player on their right, and the player across. This can significantly impact the course of the game, and requires careful decision-making.

Going Out:

The first player who manages to get rid of all their cards, either by playing them or passing them, is said to have Gone Out. The partner of this player may continue playing, but the other team must stop playing immediately.

Tichu and Grand Tichu:

A player can declare a Tichu before they play their first card. This means they believe they will be the first to go out. If they succeed, their team gains extra points, but if they fail, their team loses points. Grand Tichu is similar, but it must be declared before the player has seen all of their cards, and involves risking more points.

Points:

Points are scored based on the cards in the tricks each team has won. The 5’s, 10’s, and Kings are worth points, as well as the Phoenix and the Dragon. The goal is to be the first team to accumulate 1000 points.

Special Cards:

There are four special cards in Tichu: the Mah Jong, the Dog, the Phoenix, and the Dragon. Each of these has unique rules:

Mah Jong: The Mah Jong is a 1, but also allows the holder to start the round, and forces the next player to play the called card if they have it.
Dog: The Dog is only playable on your own lead, and passes the lead to your partner.
Phoenix: The Phoenix can act as a wild card, or it can be used as a half-point card higher than the previously played card.
Dragon: The Dragon is the highest single card. If it wins a trick, the trick must be given to an opponent.

Tips and tricks Play smarter, not harder!

Advanced Strategies for ‘Tichu’

Know when to call ‘Tichu’: A player should only call ‘Tichu’ when they have a strong hand. A failed call can cost the team points, so it’s crucial to be confident in your hand before making the call.
Master the art of passing: At the start of each round, players pass a card to each other. This should not be an arbitrary decision. Ideally, pass cards that you think will benefit your partner or hinder your opponents.
Keep track of high cards: It’s important to remember which high cards have been played to strategize effectively. If all high cards are out, then even a modest card can take the lead.

Beginner Tips for ‘Tichu’

Understand the ranking of cards: In ‘Tichu’, the card ranking is different from traditional card games. The Dragon is the highest single card, followed by the Phoenix, and then the Ace. Make sure you familiarize yourself with the ranking.
Practice patience: ‘Tichu’ is not a game you can rush. It’s about waiting for the right moment to play your cards. If you play your high cards too early, you may find yourself in a difficult position later.
Communicate with your partner: ‘Tichu’ is a partnership game. Effective communication with your partner can help you anticipate their moves and plan your game accordingly.

Common Mistakes to Avoid in ‘Tichu’

Calling ‘Tichu’ too soon: It’s a common mistake for players to call ‘Tichu’ prematurely. Make sure you have a strong hand before making the call.
Misjudging the Phoenix: The Phoenix can be a game-changer if used correctly. However, it can also lead to a downfall if misjudged. Remember, it acts as a wild card, but when used in a trick, it’s value is only 0.5 more than the highest card in the trick.
Forgetting about the Dog: The Dog is a special card that allows you to pass your turn to your partner. It’s a powerful card if used strategically. However, forgetting to use it at the right time can cost you the game.

Ways to Optimize Gameplay in ‘Tichu’

Plan your game: Planning your moves ahead of time can give you an edge in the game. Try to anticipate your opponents’ moves and strategize accordingly.
Control the game: Try to keep control of the game as much as possible. This can be achieved by winning tricks and dictating the pace of the game.
Use special cards wisely: Special cards like the Dragon, Phoenix, and Dog can drastically alter the course of the game. Use them wisely to gain a competitive edge.