If both players on a team exit a round prior to either player on the opposite team, then no points are scored for cards and the winning team earns 200 points (with Tichu/Grand Tichu bonuses and penalties being applied as normal).The game has been designed mainly for four players (two couples), but it can also be played by three players (adding the “dead” player) or by six (two teams of three players each). Cards are dealt at the start of a round in a group of eight and a group of six a player can call 'Grand Tichu' after looking at only their first eight cards for a ☒00 point bonus. This indicates that the player thinks they can empty their hand first this round if they do so, their team scores 100 points, and if not, their team instead loses 100 points. At the start of a round, each player can call 'Tichu' prior to playing any card. Fives, tens and Kings are worth 5, 10 and 10 points, with each hand worth one hundred points without bonuses - but the bonuses are what drive the game. The last player out in a round gives all the cards they won to the player who exited first, and the last player's un-played cards are handed to the opposite team.

The card led determines the only combination of cards that can be played on that trick, so if a single card is led, then only single cards are played if a straight of seven cards is led, then only straights of seven cards can be played, etc. If play passes all the way back to the player who laid the top cards, they win the trick, clears the cards, and can lead the next one. When it's your turn, you may either beat the current top card combination - single card, pair of cards, sequence of pairs, full house, etc. The deck is a standard 52-card pack with four special cards added: dog, phoenix, dragon and Mah Jong (1). It is a partnership climbing card game, and the object of play is to rid yourself of your hand, preferably while scoring points in the process. Tichu took much of its rules and mechanics from Zheng Fen. Over 642 million Chinese play Tichu nearly every day!

Tichu package