Tichu General Strategies, Passing Conventions and Tips

[KeslerReyesHoward]

Tichu 101.
Discussion of Passing Conventions, Tips and General Strategies in an effort to improve play of Tichu on line.
I would like to share some General Tichu tips and strategies to help improve everyone’s play of Tichu on line.
There is a lot of information to cover.
A few basic Tichu Strategy tips can also be found here:
https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/300626 ... ategy-tips

[Ezahl Vinclair]

Perhaps one of the most difficult things in Tichu and the one not discussed often is what to do in terms of threshold to call grand Tichu and what cards to pass when your team is behind on score.

There have been occasions when the team opposing team was 5 points away from winning that I have passed Dragon or Phoenix to partner after calling grand Tichu and it worked out with +400 double victory.

If you are in this situation where you are behind and your partner has called Grand Tichu, there’s debate even among the strongest players on what to pass.

i.e..you might not necessarily pass your highest card, which is ace, but K instead.

If my team is behind by 500+ points, I’m ready to call GT even with single A.

If the deficit is even higher, I’m willing to call grand with even less.

Sadly, some partners have disagreed with me because of this and even blocked me…but it is better to try to call grand Tichu and fail than to be afraid to call grand Tichu and lose anyway…especially if your team is way behind on score…

[KeslerReyesHoward]

Purpose of discussion:
-These are suggestions to assist in improving one level of play of Tichu, online, and in person.
-These strategies can greatly improve your ability to determine what type of cards may be in your partner’s hand and in your opponent’s hands.
-These strategies/guidelines can greatly improving your ability to know when to pass, what to play, what not to play and when to play
-These strategies/guidelines tend to improve game play over time, if all players agree to use them.
-These strategies/guidelines will generally only work if your partner agrees to use them.

[KeslerReyesHoward]

I agree that more risk shuold be taken in the situation that you are describing Ezahl. However the method of when to call and what to pass will vary based on what is in your hand and your level of experience and comfort.

[KeslerReyesHoward]

BGA Online play verses in Person play:
BGA offers you the ability to see what cards are still available to play. This can be a great advantage in knowing what hand to play.

In person play allows for easier on the spot discussions of Passing Conventions, Tips, General Strategies, and errors in play.
In person play requires that you rely on your memory to determine what cards and hands are better to play.

[Tuut Tuut tis Luut]

i.e..you might not necessarily pass your highest card, which is ace, but K instead.

I have been doing this more and more often in very normal hands/situations. I have a weak hand, with single ace and king. I figure if my p calls tichu, my ace can still be valuable, even in my own hand. But a singular king likely worth very little. But worth a lot of passed and made into a pair.

[KeslerReyesHoward]

BGA Online play verses in Person play:

BGA offers you the ability to see what cards are still available to play. This can be a great advantage in knowing what hand to play.

In person play allows for easier on the spot discussions of Passing Conventions, Tips, General Strategies, and errors in play.
In person play requires that you rely on your memory to determine what cards and hands are better to play.

[KeslerReyesHoward]

Disclosures:
-I am generally a more conservative player, so feel free to be more aggressive.
-Aggressive play can be more successful, with established passing conventions and more experienced play.

-These ideas are general guidelines to follow that are designed as strategic advantage suggestions for all players.
-The strategies/guidelines are largely based on hand probabilities and therefore they are not always advantageous.

-The strategies/guidelines are Not designed to be rules that must be followed.
-Keep in mind, that these are all general principles and guidelines, and there will always be exceptions.

-There are many other opinions of strategies/guidelines that exist that may contradict these strategies and may work better for you and in certain situations.

[KeslerReyesHoward]

BGA Online play verses in Person play:
On BGA If you a not playing a live game, it is not likely that you will be online to react to play a bomb, Until it is you’re your turn.

[KeslerReyesHoward]

My tips are designed as basics, since play seems to be all over the place on BGA with no consistency nor discussion on agreed passing conventions.


I. General Play and Partnership Tips
These are general play tips to work with your partner. Partnership tips may vary to a certain degree when you or your partner calls Grand Tichu or Tichu.