Trichu (3 player version)
The Cards
are distributed as usual. ⁷ The dealer plays alone. He forms a team with a fictional counterpart called "Tisch"⁸ [Table]. His opponents may declare a Grand Tichu after eight cards; unfortunately he and Tisch cannot.

When all the cards have been dealt the dealer can examine his own and the table cards. He decides for each which two cards to pass – passing is only with opponents.

After the passing the player who is alone turns the table cards face up for all to see. He makes the play decisions for Tisch.

Small Tichu may be declared as usual up to the first play of one's own cards, also in the name of Mrs. Tisch. In the Tichu-Nanjing game there is one modification: Mrs. Tisch is not required to satisfy the wishes of the Mah Jong.

Scoring
works exactly as in Tichu for four. The points earned by the two teams are however recorded for each player under his own name as well as under the the name "Tisch" (e.g. 60 points each for A and B, 40 points for C and Tisch).

Each game a different player plays alone. Whoever leads after nine games wins.

A variant three-player game can be safely agreed upon beforehand. However we urgently advise against the 1000 points victory condition, otherwise in an intelligent group Mrs. Tisch inevitably wins.

⁷ This variant comes from Janus Staecker of Munich. The cards were cut there.
⁸ The feminine form is used to avoid confusion with Christoph Tisch.

In Tientsin Tichu is played six-handed, two teams of three play seated alternately around the table.

Rules

are the same as for the four-handed version, with the following changes:

• Grand Tichu must be announced before the seventh card is taken.
• Each player passes only two cards, to his partners, of course, and, gets one card back from each of them.
• The dog transfers the right to lead to the partner of the holder’s choice.
• When scoring, the last player in addition to his hand cards gives all of his tricks to the opposition; the fifth player (the last but one to go out) gives his tricks to the winner of the round.

⁹ We thank Mr Zhu, an exceptional tour guide, for this variant.

Although "Someone Is Always the "A..."" exhibits some similarities with Tichu, it is a completely different game. It is no longer about the team! Now each tries to reach the top. Finally one would like to rather enjoy the associated privileges of always being the "A...".

Components

108 cards (2 x 52 cards and the 4 special cards from Tichu)

Goal of the Game

The goal of the game is no longer the usual one of "scoring points". In "Someone Is Always the A..." it's about enthusiasm for nonsense, the fun of playing and pure sadistic pleasure.

The order of rank for the following is determined by each game.

The player who first plays all of his cards becomes First Among Equals and enjoys all of the privileges: he receives better cards, never has to shuffle or give up cards, may keep his seat and in general is served in every conceivable way by the "A...". Thus the greater goal of the game is clear: just don't become an "A..."!

Playing the Game

Dealing Cards
In the first round any player shuffles the cards and distributes 12 face down cards to each player. With 5 to 8 players there are cards left over. These are placed aside face up so that in the course of play anyone can see which cards are not being used. With 10 players eight players each receive 11 cards and two players each receive 10 cards. It is, after all, a game of (in)justice. In the following rounds the "A..." takes up these duties.

Passing Cards
In the first round passing is skipped. In subsequent rounds the players must immediately pass cards according to their position:

• the "A..." passes his 3 best cards to the First Among Equals, who passes his 3 worst cards to the "A..."
• the player to the left of the "A..." gives the player to the right of the First Among Equals his two best and receives from him his two worst cards.
• the player second to the left of the "A..." gives the player second to the right of the First Among Equals his best and receives from him his worst card.

The ranking order of the cards begins with the best cards: Dragon, Phoenix, Mah Jong, Dog, Ace, K, D, B, 10, ..., 2.

Playing Cards
The player who has the Mah Jong leads first. Play is counter-clockwise, as is customary with Chinese, Hopi and a some folks in the Alps.

Card play follows the rules of Tichu. In particular the Tichu card combinations are permitted. An individual three-of-a-kind or a three-of-a-kind in a full house must be formed from 3 cards from 3 different suits.

It is important to note the order in which the players have played their last card. This order determines the rank and seating order of the players in the next round. After a round the players change places as described below under "Changing Places".

Collection of tricks as well as the shuffling and dealing of the cards at the start all other odd jobs are part of the duties of the poorest of the poor, the "A...".

Special Cards and Bombs
Dragon: the dragon is the highest individual card.

Phoenix: the Phoenix can be used as any card in a combination or when played alone is 1/2 higher than the previously played card.

Mah Jong: the player who has the Mah Jong leads first.

Dog: when the dog is played the lead passes to the "A...".

Four-card bombs must be formed from 4 cards of the same rank from 4 different suits. Straights bombs consist of, as before, at least 5 consecutive cards of the same suit.

End of the Round
The round ends when only one player still has cards in hand. In the next round he will become the "A...".

Changing Places
Now the players change seats. The most comfortable seat is reserved for the First Among Equals. He may also decide for himself where he would like to sit. The remaining players seat themselves according to the order in which they played their last card, to the right of the First Among Equals.
Thus, the player who played all of his cards second in this round sits directly to the right of the First Among Equals, the third is next and so on. The "A..." then sits directly to the left of the First Among Equals.

(C) 1989 Fata Morgana Spiele, 3008 Bern, Switzerland
(C) 1998 ABACUSSPIELE Verlags KG, 63303 Dreieich, Germany
All rights reserved.

Also ...

• Games Set in China