Gameplay

Each player sits across from his or her teammate so that play alternates between the two teams. The game is traditionally run counter-clockwise, but is played clockwise outside of China.

The game is played with a deck of 56 cards, consisting of a 52-card deck of four suits (Jade, Sword, Pagoda, Star) plus four special cards (Mah Jong, Dog, Phoenix, Dragon). A standard 52-card deck with 4 jokers (marked to indicate the special cards) can also be used.

Each player is dealt (or alternately draw cards in Chinese play) eight cards, and may call "Grand Tichu," a 200-point bet that he (not his partner) will be the first to get rid of his cards. Once players have decided whether to make this call, six more cards are dealt (the remaining cards in the deck) and players may no longer declare "Grand Tichu". Now, and at any time prior to playing his or her first card, a player may call "Tichu," a 100-point bet that he (not his partner) will be the first to get rid of his cards. The differences between Grand Tichu and Tichu are when they may be called, the number of cards you've seen, and the number of points involved.

All players prepare three cards for simultaneous exchange, with each player passing one card (face down) to each of the other players -- one to each opponent and one to his or her partner. Should a player declare "Tichu" before the simultaneous exchange, players are allowed to change their out-going exchange cards.

After the card exchange, the player with the Mah Jong leads the first trick. In Tichu, playable card combinations are generally based on Poker hands, with some exceptions. A player may pass on a trick with the option to play in later (essentially checking in Poker), and a trick is completed if it is passed three times in a row.

Playable card combinations include: a single card; any pair; two or more "stairs" (consecutive pairs; for example, 55667788. Non-consecutive pairs may not be played); three of a kind; straights of at least five cards in length (so 56789TJQ is playable); and full houses (three of a kind & a pair). A flush (except for a straight flush) cannot be played. Four of a kind or a straight flush is a bomb which beats any card combination with the exception of a bigger bomb. Bombs may be played at any time (even out of turn) to end a trick, with every player given a chance to play bigger bombs before the trick is taken.

An example of "bombing": 10< K< D< 8888< AAAA< ♦9♦10♦J♦Q♦K< ♠2♠3♠4♠5♠6♠7.

The special cards affect gameplay accordingly:

• The Mah Jong The player with the Mah Jong leads the opening trick, but is not required to play Mah Jong in the trick. The Mah Jong may be played as a 1, either by itself or in a MJ2345+ straight. When the Mah Jong is played, you may make a Wish (request a card number 2-A). The wish remains active until it is fulfilled. Each player who can fulfill the Wished card must play it, if possible, until it is played once--if the wished card requires you playing four of them as a Bomb (i.e. to beat the straight, above), you must. If the Mah Jong opens a trick as a straight, the next player must play a straight containing the wished value, if possible. If a straight can only be constructed with the Phoenix (as wild card, not the wished value), you must play it. Remember: if you can, you must.

• The Dog has no numeric value, and cannot be played in a trick. The Dog must be played as the lead card, and passes the lead to your partner. If your partner is out, play passes to the active player after your partner's position.

• The Phoenix may be played alone as .5 higher than the previous card played (i.e. after A, Phoenix is played as A.5), or as a wild card in a hand (with a value from 2-A). The declared value of a Phoenix in a straight doesn't satisfy the Mah Jong's wish, above. The Phoenix cannot be included as a wild card in a bomb, is not a wild card as a single play, and it doesn't count as .5 higher when used in a straight.

• The Dragon may only be played in a single card trick. The player wins the trick, unless the Dragon is bombed. If the trick is won with the Dragon, the trick is given to your opponent (you choose which one).

Scoring

Teams gain or deduct points for Grand Tichu (±200 points) and/or Tichu (±100 points) calls. As an example: player A declared Grand Tichu and lost to D's Tichu. A&C lose 200 points and B&D gain 100 points.

If both players on a team get rid of all their cards before either player on the opposing team is out of cards, the winning team scores 200 points and there is no card scoring this round.

The last player out gives their remaining cards to the opposing team, and gives all the tricks they have won this round to the first player out.

Points are scored based on the cards in the tricks won by each team. Kings and tens are worth ten points each, fives are worth five points, the Dragon is worth 25 points, and the Phoenix is worth negative 25. All other cards score zero.

Rounds continue until a team scores 1,000 points or more.