Tichu is a great card game for two pairs of partners that is played by millions of people every day in Asia. While it may sound odd, the game has been popularized in the United States via Germany, where a version published by Abacus was picked up by Rio Grande Games and is now sold in a 2-deck box by RGG.
Tichu is a partnership card game designed by the folks at the Swiss gamecompany Fata Morgana. Decks areproduced by both Fata Morgana and Abacus Spiele and differ mainly in the colorof the card backs. The Abacus Spiel box also contains a second deck of cardsbut since this doesn't include the four special cards, it is not helpful forplay of the basic game.
- Tichu can be a tricky game, full of difficult decisions. Every play depends strongly on context. Every play depends strongly on context. Almost all of the above suggestions should in certain situations be completely ignored, but in providing a default framework, this page hopes to help you improve at least a little your Tichu tactics.
- Playing Tichu: Tichu is a Swiss card game I received and learned from a Swiss friend I met in Hong Kong during my internship project there. The game is very easy to learn, and according to the makers it is 'not to be explained':Tichu is not to be explained(If we h.
The deck is a 56 card deck which is basically just like a regular 52 carddeck plus 4 special cards (Dragon, Phoenix, Dog and 1/Sparrow/Mah Jong). Thesuits are also changed to Jade (Green), Sword (Black), Pagoda (Blue) and Star (Red).
The game is a partnership game where each player's primary objective is to getrid of all of his cards and 'tricks' are played in a 'climbing' style similarto that used in Zheng Shangyou, Zheng Fen, Big Two, The GreatDalmutti, Frank's Zoo and Asshole.
This game has become extremely popular with my group and others and I highlyrecommend you give it a try if you are interested in partnership card games.It is quite different from any others I have played. To quote StuartDaggar's review in Counter Magazine, 'Tichu is much more of a heavyweight game than Zoff im Zoo, Karriere Pokerand so on. They are all either party games or end of evening fillers. This isthe sort of game that will keep card players happy for a couple of hours ormore. There is much more to the tactics and hand management than there is inthe simpler games and the scope for partnership cooperation is real.'
- General Information
- Association of Tichu Players (in German) - includes a Tichu FAQ (English translation of FAQ).
- Specific documents (mostly written by Aaron)
- Tichu strategy article - highly recommended for experienced players (German Translation/Deutsch Ubersetzung)
- Tichu statistics - some might find these interesting.
- Tichu Reference Card - Microsoft Word format player aid (also available as a PDF file). It is intended that this be printed on a full-sheet of label paper, cut out, and then attached to the front and back of extra cards you have. Each print makes two player aid cards. The Abacus Spiele deck comes with a version of this in German.
Tichu Card Game
- Compiled by:
Aaron D. Fuegi (aarondf@bu.edu)
Play Tichu Online
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