# Tichu

Tichu is a board game for 3–10 players. It plays in 30–90 minutes and is meant for ages 10 and up. Ludoya players call it best with 4. It is rated 7.6 out of 10 by 59 Ludoya reviewers. The cheapest copy in stock is $10.99 (United States).

- **Players:** 3–10 (best with 4)
- **Playing time:** 30–90 minutes
- **Minimum age:** 10+
- **Complexity:** 2.3 out of 5
- **Year published:** 1991
- **Categories:** Card Game
- **Mechanics:** Team-Based Game, Hand Management, Ladder Climbing, Predictive Bid
- **Ludoya rating:** 7.6 out of 10, from 59 reviews
- **Owned by:** 184 Ludoya players
- **Plays logged on Ludoya:** 660
- **Unique players:** 588

**Designers:** Urs Hostettler

**Artists:** Res Brandenberger, François Bruel, Valerie Vekemans, Christine Alcouffe, Franz Vohwinkel, Kerri Aitken, Urs Hostettler, Chris Quilliams, Eduardo M. Dos Reis, Javier González Cava, Philippe Guérin

**Publishers:** (Unknown), Fata Morgana Spiele

## Where to buy in United States

| Shop | Price | Link |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Cardhaus Games | 10.99 $ | https://www.cardhaus.com/tichu/ |
| Board Game Bliss | 14.95 $ | https://www.boardgamebliss.com/products/tichu |
| Milan Spiele | 6.7 € | https://www.milan-spiele.de/tichu-p-1731.html |
| TLAMA games | 189 Kč | https://www.tlamagames.com/deskove-hry/tichu/ |
| La Gameria | 8.95 € | https://gameria.es/juegos-de-mesa/tichu-16938.html |
| Uplay | 8.99 € | https://www.uplay.it/it/gioco-da-tavolo-tichu--edizione-tedesca-.html |
| Goblin Trader Barcelona | 10 € | https://www.goblintrader.es/es/inicio/58216-tichu-castellano-8436607948773.html |
| Homoludicus Granollers | 10 € | https://homoludicus-granollers.org/tichu |
| Spielezar | 9.9 Fr. | https://www.spielezar.ch/kartenspiele/tichu |
| Ludifolie | 11.9 € | https://www.ludifolie.com/2456-tichu.html |
| Spelexperten | 145 kr | https://www.spelexperten.com/sallskapsspel/kortspel/tichu.html |
| Zacatrus | 13.5 € | https://zacatrus.es/tichu-2024.html |
| Zatu Games | 11.95 £ | https://zatu.com/products/tichu |
| Games Empire | 23.99 $ | https://gamesempire.com.au/products/tichu-on-sale |
| Dragons Lair | 175 kr | https://dragonslair.se/products/tichu |
| Fantasiapelit | 17.3 € | https://www.fantasiapelit.com/index.php?main=ai&kat=single&mista=indeksi&etsittava=_107270 |
| Alphaspel | 199 kr | https://alphaspel.se/491-bradspel/4981-tichu-en |

## Expansions

- [Tichu: Booster](https://www.ludoya.com/games/tichu-booster)
- [Stadt Land Spielt Limitierte Sonderdrucke 2015](https://www.ludoya.com/games/stadt-land-spielt-limitierte-sonderdrucke-2015)

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## Rules questions

### When and how do we pass the three cards at the start — do we pick them up before playing?

After each player has taken 14 cards, every player pushes 3 cards face down — one to each other player — and then may pick up the three cards that were pushed to him, adding them to his hand (p.1).

### What combinations can I lead and how are they beaten?

You may lead singles, pairs, sequences of pairs, three-of-a-kind, full houses (trio+pair), or sequences of length at least 5; each combination can only be beaten by the same kind of higher combination (except bombs), and sequences must be the same length to beat (p.1).

### How does the Mah Jong wish work — when must someone play the wished rank?

When the Mah Jong is played its owner may wish a normal rank (not a special card); the next player who actually has that rank and can lawfully play it must play it on his ordinary turn, but players who play bombs out of turn do not have to fulfill the wish — if a bomb wins the trick the new winner must fulfill the wish when leading next (p.1, p.3).

### What exactly do the Phoenix, Dragon and Hound do?

The Phoenix is a joker in combinations (not for bombs), counts as half a rank higher when played as a single (and is worth −25 points), the Dragon is the highest single card worth +25 and, when it wins a trick, its holder gives that trick to an opponent of his choice, and the Hound has no trick-taking power — when led it simply transfers the right to lead to the player's partner (p.2).

### When can bombs be played and can they beat the Dragon or take the Hound?

Bombs (either five-or-more consecutive cards in the same suit or four-of-a-kind) may be played at any time, even out of turn, and beat any non-bomb (including the Dragon); however, bombs cannot be used to take the Hound (they cannot be used to take the Hound and its transfer of lead) (p.2, p.3).

### How is the round scored and what happens with the last trick (Dragon & Phoenix effects)?

The round ends when only one player has cards left; tricks are revealed and score +10 per king/ten, +5 per five, +25 for the Dragon and −25 for the Phoenix (total 100 points per deal), and although the last trick ends immediately when the third-last player finishes, it is still awarded to whoever wins it (and the Dragon, if it wins, still gives that trick to an opponent) (p.2, p.3).

## Links

- [This page](https://www.ludoya.com/games/tichu)
- [Tichu in the Ludoya app](https://app.ludoya.com/g/tichu)
- [BoardGameGeek entry](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/215)

_Data from Ludoya, updated 2026-09-19. Ratings, ownership and play counts are Ludoya's own._