Tichu (2 player card game)

“Tichu” is a strategic partnership card game played with a standard 52-card deck. Originally designed for four players, it can be adapted for two players with slight modifications. Here’s how to play Tichu with 2 players:

Setup:

1. Remove all cards ranked 2 to 6 from the deck, leaving 56 cards.
2. Shuffle the deck thoroughly and deal 8 cards to each player, one at a time.

Objective: The objective of Tichu is to score the most points by winning tricks and achieving certain combinations of cards.

Gameplay:

1. Bidding Phase:

   • Players may bid for the privilege of calling Tichu, which is worth 200 points if successful.
   • Bidding starts with one player, who may either pass or make a bid of at least 5 points higher than the current bid.
   • The other player then has the option to bid higher or pass.
   • The highest bidder becomes the “caller” and plays against the opponent.

2. Trick-taking Phase:

   • The player who did not bid or pass first leads the first trick by playing any combination of cards from their hand.
   • The opponent must then play a higher-ranking combination of cards of the same type, or pass.
   • If the opponent passes, the player who led the trick may play any combination of cards from their hand.
   • The winner of each trick leads the next one.

3. End of Round:

   • The round ends when all cards have been played.
   • Players tally up their points based on the tricks they won and any bonus points from fulfilling certain conditions.

Scoring:

1. Trick Points: Each card in a trick is worth a certain number of points:

   • 5s: 5 points each
   • 10s: 10 points each
   • Kings: 10 points each
   • Aces: 25 points each
   • Phoenix (if included): -25 points

2. Tichu Call: If a player successfully calls Tichu and wins the round, they earn 200 points. If they call Tichu and lose, they lose 200 points.

3. Grand Tichu Call: If a player calls Grand Tichu before the first card is played and wins the round, they earn 400 points. If they lose, they lose 400 points.

Adaptation for 2 Players:

• In the original game, Tichu is played with four players forming two partnerships. In the 2 player adaptation, each player plays individually to achieve the highest score.
• The bidding phase remains the same, with players bidding against each other to become the caller.
• During the trick-taking phase, players take turns leading tricks as in the original game.
• Scoring is adjusted to account for the absence of partnerships, with players earning points individually based on the tricks they win and any bonus points they achieve.

Turns:

• Player 1 leads the first trick after the bidding phase.
• Players alternate leading tricks until all cards have been played.

Summary: Tichu, a popular partnership card game, has been adapted for 2 players, offering an engaging and strategic experience. With modified rules and individual scoring, players aim to win tricks and achieve bonus points to claim victory. Enjoy the challenge and excitement of Tichu in this 2 player card game!