Tichu: A Thrilling Card Game Combining Bridge, Daihinmin, and Poker Elements
Tichu is a captivating card game played by two teams of two, with partners sitting opposite each other. Teams collaborate to score points and achieve victory. The game unfolds over multiple rounds, with the winning team being the first to reach a predetermined point total.
The Tichu deck comprises 56 cards across four suits: Jade, Swords, Pagodas, and Stars. Each suit contains cards numbered 2-10, Jack, Queen, King, and Ace. Four special cards add a unique twist: the Dragon, Phoenix, Hound, and Mah Jong.
Each player receives an initial hand of eight cards and has the opportunity to declare "Grand Tichu," a 200-point wager on being the first to empty their hand. Following this declaration phase, six additional cards are dealt, and the "Grand Tichu" option closes. Players can also call "Tichu" (a 100-point bet on personally being the first to empty their hand) before playing their first card. The key differences between Grand Tichu and Tichu lie in timing, cards seen, and point values.
After the initial deal (14 cards per player), a card exchange takes place. Each player secretly passes one card to each opponent and one to their partner, receiving three cards in return.
The player holding the Mah Jong card initiates the gameplay. They lead with a valid combination, and subsequent players can either pass or play a higher-ranking combination (exceptions exist for "Bombs," which will be explained later). Higher-value cards beat lower cards, higher-value pairs beat lower pairs, and so on. Only combinations of the same type are comparable (e.g., a full house can only be beaten by a higher full house). The player who plays the highest combination wins the trick and leads the next round. The round concludes when two teammates have played all their cards. If only one player remains with cards, they receive a penalty, transferring their hand to the opponents' trick pile and receiving the opponent's trick pile in return.
The game culminates when a team achieves or surpasses the target point total set at the beginning.
For more detailed rules and assistance, please visit: https://support.lazyland.com/196428-Tichu
