At the start of a round, each player can call ' Tichu' prior to playing any cards. 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 unplayed 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, clear the cards, and 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.) or pass. The deck is a standard 52-card pack with four special cards added: dog, phoenix, dragon and Mah Jong. TICHU has evolved to worldwide popularity since its release thanks to Urs Hostettler, and here is why:

yeah I'm feeling old too) taking many of its rules and mechanisms from 'Zheng Fen,' a traditional Chinese game, that itself takes some scoring from 'Da Bai' and 'Tuo la Ji,' two other traditional games. You’ve got to keep up with your social circle by spending vast sums on trifles without beggaring yourself, a point of view that’s as fun to play as it is alienating to observe in reality.TI-CHU (and not tissue) has been a successful trick-taking game since it was released last century (1991 to be exact.

The other twist is that some cards are negative for these, bidding works in reverse, with the first player to pass “winning” and everyone else throwing away their cash. But while your cash reserves range from small to high value, you can’t get change: you’re forced to choose between creeping up your bid or risking being left with only high-value notes to fritter on paltry wins. Each round is a sequence of bids on some fancy item that indicates you’re part of monied culture. This is the lightest and fastest of the three (see one more below) but it still delivers thrills, spills and biting social commentary. Given this is the second Reiner Knizia auction game on the list you may gather that the good doctor (he’s got a PhD in mathematics) is keen on the mechanic and good at delivering it.

Tichu for two players