The other players, in turn, may pass or play a higher set of the same type – a higher pair, if a pair was lead – a higher seven card straight if that was lead, etc.
A combination can even be consecutive pairs – 2s and 3s for example – or even 2s, 3s, and 4s etc. In Tichu, after the whole pack is dealt between the players, the leading player plays a combination – it may be a singleton, a pair or three of a kind a full house or a straight of five or more cards. Gameplay-wise, Tichu feels a little like a standard trick-taking game, although its roots are in traditional ‘climbing’ style games, popular in China, where more than one card may be lead, and players are trying to be the first to get rid of all their cards. It has the feel of a traditional card game, and indeed the deck, though imbued with a Chinese theme, is a standard 52 card deck – with the addition of four special cards. Tichu is a partnership card game for four people.
