How to Play Tichu | Official Rules

Components

• 112 circus cards: complete 56 card Tichu decks
• rule booklet

The cards, with their four suits:

• Jade

• Swords

• Pagodas

• Stars

Each suit has 13 values, correspond to a "normal" bridge deck. The ace is the highest in each suit and the 2 is the lowest. The 10 ranks between the 9 and the jack, as in most card games.

Four extra cards expand the deck to 56 cards: the Dragon, the Phoenix, the Hound, and the Hemp-Sparrow (or Mah Jong).

Some say tichu cannot be explained but must be experienced. If we believed that, there would be no rules with this game. So, we talked Mr Chuang (the man who taught us the game) into helping us. He drummed up some rules in the backroom of the souvenir shop of the Confucian temple.

At first, he only allowed us to watch. Later, we played and the Chinese experts gave us good advice. We recommend this method of learning most heartily, if you can find a Chinese expert to teach you. Below, you will find rules and other comments for four "Tichu" games, depending on the number you choose to play with.

Object of the Game

The game is played by pairs of two partners with the players of each team sitting opposite one another. During the game, the partners try to help each other score points and gain the lead. The game is played over several hands with the goal to be the first team to score a total of 1000 points.