Tichu

This year marks the 25th Anniversary of Tichu’s publication.  In a hobby that is often defined by the “cult of the new,” Tichu is still a perennial favorite among gamers, and it is arguably the hobby’s favorite traditional-style card game.  It is the highest-ranked trick-taking or climbing game on BoardGameGeek, and it has long been in the BGG Top 100, a rare accomplishment among older games.  Tichu has more than 100,000 logged plays on BGG (the most of any trick-taking or climbing game), and most major conventions have dedicated events for it.  It has sold hundreds of thousands of copies and has been in-print continuously for 25 years. 

Tichu is one of the earliest examples of “climbing” games to reach the West.  Climbing games — which are arguably a subset of trick-taking games, and at a minimum appear to be derived from them — generally have a few common elements:

• Each player must play a higher card (or combination of cards) than the previous player.  This means that the games must generally be played with ranked cards.  
  
• Players are generally not required to play a card — they can pass — and the “trick” ends once all of the other players have passed or once no higher card can be played.  
  
• There is generally a scoring bonus for getting rid of your cards early, and the earlier you go out, the higher your mock social status.
  
• The first team to 1,000 points wins.
  
• it has a medium learning curve 

Contains 112 playing cards; 2 complete Tichu decks with different colored backs and 1 rule book