A versatile shedding game blending elements from Bridge, Daihinmin, and Poker.

Tichu is a partnership card game where two-player teams sit opposite each other. Partners work together to score points and take the lead. The game is played over a series of hands, with the first team reaching a predetermined point total declared the winner.

The Tichu deck contains 56 cards divided into four suits: Jade, Swords, Pagodas, and Stars. Each suit includes 13 cards ranked from 2 through 10, Jack, Queen, King, and Ace. Four special cards—the Dragon, Phoenix, Hound, and Mah Jong—complete the deck.

At the start, each player receives eight cards and may declare "Grand Tichu," a 200-point wager that they will be the first to play all their cards. After players decide, six more cards are dealt, and "Grand Tichu" can no longer be called. Before playing their first card, any player may announce "Tichu," a 100-point bet that they (not their partner) will go out first. The key differences between Grand Tichu and Tichu are the timing of the call, the number of cards seen, and the point values.

Once all 56 cards are distributed (14 per player), the exchange phase begins. Each player passes one card face down to every other player. This means everyone gives away three cards—one to each opponent and one to their partner—and receives three cards in return.

After the exchange, the player holding the Mah Jong card leads the first trick. They can play any valid combination, and other players must either pass or play a higher combination of the same type (except for Bombs, which will be explained later). For example, a single card is beaten only by a higher single card, a sequence of two pairs only by a higher two-pair sequence, and so on. When all other players pass, the one who played the highest combination collects the trick and leads the next play. If that player has no cards left, they have "gone out," and the lead moves to the player on their right (continuing clockwise if that player is also out). The round ends when both teammates have no cards left, meaning at least two—and possibly three—players must go out. If one player remains with cards, they face a penalty: their hand is added to the opponent's trick pile, and their own tricks go to the first player who went out.

The game concludes when a team reaches or surpasses the target score set before the game began.

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