Tichu: Booster — Rules Manual

Tichu Booster Rules

Tichu boosters are playable only with the card game Tichu. Knowledge of the basic rules of
Tichu is assumed. Twenty-five years after our development of Tichu, the booster is our
anniversary gift. The additional cards will bring new diversity and variation to the game.
Have fun with it!

CONTENTS
57 Boosters
3 Rule cards

Game Preparation
• Shuffle the boosters to form a draw pile.
• Place the first four boosters faced up.
• The Colour Overview should be placed where it is easily accessible for everyone.

Booster Distribution
Players begin without boosters.
Boosters come into play when a Tichu is announced. If a player calls Grand Tichu, the
boosters are available immediately after all the cards are dealt. If a player calls small Tichu,
the boosters are available at the end of the round. It does not matter whether or not the
Tichu was successful.
If no Tichu is called, no boosters are distributed. In a game round, at most four boosters can
be distributed.
The player who first calls Tichu chooses one booster and places it in front of them. Then, in
playing order, each other player chooses one booster.
After all four faced-up boosters are taken, the top four boosters from the draw pile are
placed face up.

Booster Usage
Once obtained, the boosters are available to the players until the end of the game. There is
no limit to the number of boosters players can keep or use in a single round. Boosters give a
one-time boost, either providing an advantage or avoiding a disaster. All boosters expire at
the end of the round in which they are played and are then placed on the discard pile.
Using a booster is always voluntary.
A player that has gone out may neither play nor is affected by any boosters.
The booster colour indicates when it can be used (see Colour Overview). The booster's text
describes it's effect.

Terms and Tips
• Some green boosters allow new combinations for all players until the end of the
round.
• Most boosters are instant cards that can be played out of turn.
• When a player yells "Wait!" allow the player the time to make up their mind. In
particular, wait a moment before and after exchanging cards in case someone wants
to use a blue booster.
• You may inspect other players' boosters.
• Remember to think about possible action or reaction cards.

Blue Booster - Start of Round
Can be played before drawing cards or during
card exchange, up until the first card is played.

Red Booster - Reaction
Can be played in response to other events.
Some boosters can be played to reverse an
action, take back cards or change
announcements.

Brown, green and yellow boosters can be played
only after all blue boosters are played.

Brown Booster - Between Tricks
Can only be played between two tricks or just
before a trick. Some brown boosters are
restrictions that last until the end of the round.

Green Booster - Anytime
Can be played at any time during the round.
Some green boosters are one-off effects. Some
allow new combinations and last until the end
of the round.

Yellow Booster - Companions
Can only be played when it is your turn. In some
cases, a yellow booster is played together with
other cards. In other cases, it is played alone.

Blue Booster - Start of Round
Can be played before drawing cards or during
card exchange, up until the first card is played.

Red Booster - Reaction
Can be played in response to other events.
Some boosters can be played to reverse an
action, take back cards or change
announcements.

Brown, green and yellow boosters can be played
only after all blue boosters are played.

Brown Booster - Between Tricks
Can only be played between two tricks or just
before a trick. Some brown boosters are
restrictions that last until the end of the round.

Green Booster - Anytime
Can be played at any time during the round.
Some green boosters are one-off effects. Some
allow new combinations and last until the end
of the round.

Yellow Booster - Companions
Can only be played when it is your turn. In some
cases, a yellow booster is played together with
other cards. In other cases, it is played alone.

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CLAIRVOYANT
You may first look at what people pass
you, then determine your own passes
(from your original hand of course).

Start of Round

OUVERT
The player who holds the Mah Jong gives
it to you. You open the game round. You
then play this round with your entire
hand faced up.

Start of Round

DISARMAMENT
You place a (non-special) card face up in
front of you, the player to your right also
places a card of the same value face up.
Those cards go into each players' tricks.

Start of Round

GENEROUS
You may give another player two cards
instead of one. The selected player only
gives one card back. This booster must
be played before the exchange.

Start of Round

SATISFIED
In this round players do not exchange
cards. Instead, everyone puts a card faced
down into their taken tricks before the
round begins. This booster must be
played before the exchange.

Start of Round

POSITIVE THINKING
Each player only exchanges cards with
their partner, but they pass their partner
three cards instead of one. This booster
must be played before the exchange.

Start of Round

RETURN TO SENDER
You may refuse to accept a card that is
passed to you. The sender takes the card
back into their hand and does not pass you
a different card in its place. The sender
keeps the card you passed them.

Start of Round

BACK TO THE ROOTS
This game round is played without special
cards. The Mah Jong, Dog, Phoenix and
Dragon are discarded and the points from
those cards are not counted. Whoever
discards the Mah Jong still starts the round.

Start of Round

COURAGE IS REWARDED
If you call Grand Tichu, you may pick up two
cards when you draw your 9th, 10th, 11th
and 12th cards. Each draw, choose one card
and give it to the player to your right, this
replaces that player's draws from the deck.

Start of Round

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DRAFT
At any point during the draw, you may take four
cards, keep one and pass the rest to the right.
The next player chooses one from the cards
passed to them and continues to pass the rest
to the right until all four cards are chosen. Not
playable if Courage is Rewarded is in effect.

Start of Round

EXTEND
You may add up to four cards to a play
(not your own) in order to form a valid big
combo. You do not take ownership of the
new, extended combo. Play continues
with the new, extended combo.

Reaction

BIRD THIEF
You may steal the Phoenix from a
combo if you replace it with a card of
appropriate value from your hand.

Reaction

MULLIGAN
You may claim a mulligan after you have
drawn your first seven cards. You draw
seven new cards from the pile and then
mix your old cards into the pile.

Start of Round

CAT
The Dog is distracted, you get the right
to play - and the Dog in your hand.

Reaction

INSURANCE
The Tichu that has just been called,
whether small or grand, is not punished
with negative points in case of failure.

Reaction

DOWNLOAD
You may play a matching combo of
lower value than what has been led.
E.g. if 55588 is led you may play 22266.
Slide the cards underneath the trick,
this does not win the trick.

Reaction

DEFUSE FOUR-OF-A-KIND BOMBES
Defuse a four-of-a-kind bomb. The bomb
is put under the trick and play continues.

Reaction

NJET!
The effect of a booster that has
just been played is cancelled. It is
discarded together with Njet!

Reaction

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NEW MASTER
You may discard your Dog on any player's
single court card (J, Q or K). The player who
played the court card is the animal's new
master and picks up the Dog in their hand.
Reaction

SCARECROW
Sssh! Go home to the nest! The scarecrow
drives the newly played Phoenix or Dragon
back to it's owner's hand. That player must
play something bird-free or pass.
Reaction

DELAY
Immediately after any player calls a
small Tichu, whoever has called it,
this booster allows you to raise that
player's bid to a grand Tichu.
Reaction

ACTION 2X CHRISTMAS
The Dragon and Phoenix are alive again.
Whoever put them in their taken tricks
takes them in their hands.
This booster can only be played if both the
Dragon and Phoenix have been played and
the affected player(s) have not gone out yet.
Reaction

BOOSTER CARD ROBBING
When you announce a Tichu, whether
grand or small, you may rob a booster
from the pool of a fellow player.
Reaction

DEALER
You may exchange your entire hand with
your partner's hand - they can not refuse.
Between Tricks

FULL HOUSE SWITCH
For the rest of this trick, the pair
determines the strength of a full house.
The three-of-a-kind only matters if the pair
matches the pair previously played.
Reaction

THE CONFUSED DRAGON
The Dragon is confused. It's owner keeps
the newly won trick, but gives away the
lead to an opponent of their choice
who has not gone out yet.
Reaction

BASTA YA!
No more boosters may be played.
Boosters in display or already
played this round still count.
Between Tricks

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CHAIR MOVE
You may choose two players who are
required to change seats for the rest
of the round.

Between Tricks

SOLO INITIATIVE
Whoever leads next must play a
single card. You also have to play
a single card on your next lead.

Between Tricks

THE RED CARD
You may exchange one of your cards for
a red card of the same value. You receive
the red card from a players hand or - if it
has already been played - from a player's
taken tricks.

Anytime

SMALL IS BEAUTIFUL
No one may play combos containing
more than 5 cards.

Between Tricks

DOUBLE VICTORY
As long as no one has gone out, you may
announce a double victory. If your team
succeeds, you receive an extra 100 points;
if your team fails, you lose 100 points.

Between Tricks

RECYCLING
You may return either of the top two
boosters from the discard pile to
your inventory.

Anytime

SECURITY LEVEL RED
No more bombs may be played.
Four-of-a-kind bombs may be played and
will count as three-of-a-kinds, straight
bombs may be played as straight.

Between Tricks

IGNORE THE WISH OF
THE MAH JONG
For this round, you may ignore
the wish of the Mah Jong.

Anytime

RAINBOW
Four cards, one of each colour, are now
a valid combo. It is beaten by a rainbow
with a higher lowest card.

Anytime

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**ICE HOCKEY TEAM**
Five or six cards of the same colour are
now a valid combo. It is beaten by an ice
hockey team with a higher lowest card.
(The length of the combo is irrelevant.)

Anytime

**THE BOOSTER PRESENT**
You may give your partner a booster as a
present. They may thank you with one of
their boosters, but they do not have to.

Anytime

**EQUALITY**
Cards are now not only beaten by
higher cards, but also by cards of
the same value, e.g. a 6 by a 6.

Anytime

**SKAT**
From now on the 10 cards are directly
under the aces. This rank also applies
to combinations. It does not apply to
already played cards.

Anytime

**HIGHWAYS**
A straight of consecutive even cards (2, 4, 6,
8, 10, Q, A) or odd cards (1, 3, 5, 7, 9, J, K)
is now a valid combo. The minimum
length is four cards.

Anytime

**SPY**
Name a (non-special) card value, you
may ask your opponents for that value.
They must tell you how many cards of
that value they have in their hands.

Anytime

**SUPER PARTNER**
You give your called Tichu to your
partner - now they have to get rid of
their remaining cards first.

Anytime

**GARBAGE CAN**
Tricks are now also beaten by tricks that
include them. E.g. a 6 is beaten by 66, 5566
or even 56789, which in turn is beaten by
456789. Play continues with whatever the
last combination played was.

Anytime

**FLOWERS**
A pair or three-of-a-kind with a stem (the next
lower green card) is now a valid combo.
Players may add a stem to a pair or a three-
of-a-kind that has been played. This gives
ownership of the resulting flower. Flowers are
beaten by higher flowers. (The length of the
combo is irrelevant.)

Anytime

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**SUPER FULL HOUSES**
A three-of-a-kind and an adjacent pair,
e.g. 44455 of QQQJJ, now beat normal full
houses and two consecutive pairs. They are
only beaten by higher super full houses.

Anytime

**FIREBIRD**
This booster may replace a card
with a value up to 8 in a combo.

Own Turn

**POTHOLE**
You may play a straight that is missing
a card. It is only beaten by a straight
with a gap in the same spot, e.g.
8, 9, J, Q, K by 2, 3, 5, 6, 7.

Own Turn

**BIRD OF PREY**
You may now communicate about your
hand and advise your partner, but all
communications must be audible.

Anytime

**MOUSE**
When played as a singleton in an on-going
trick, you may beat the Dragon, Phoenix or
an ace with the Mah Jong. After it has been
played, however, it counts as 1 and can
be beaten by a 2 and up. No wish may
be made when using the mouse.

Own Turn

**BABY DRAGON**
If everyone has already played or passed
once, you may play the baby dragon along
with a singleton or combo that beats the
current trick. Your play with the baby
dragon is only beaten by a bomb.

Own Turn

**PAIR MANIA**
Any number of pairs, even none-
consecutive, are now a valid combo.
It is beaten by an equal number of
pairs with a higher greatest pair.

Anytime

**HELP**
You may ask your partner for help to add
one or more cards to your incomplete
combo. If your partner doesn't help you,
you may play something different.

Own Turn

**RING STRAIGHT**
You may form a straight that goes beyond
the ace with a 2 and possibly with a 3, a 4
etc. It is higher than normal straights of the
same length. A wrap-around straight flush
cannot be played as a bomb.

Own Turn

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**MODESTY**
One of your (non-special) cards is valued
one less than its face value. Possible points
are retained. You cannot use that card to
make a bomb.

Own Turn

**QUAD-STRAIGHT**
You may play a straight consisting of
only four cards. It is beaten by a
higher quad-straight.

Own Turn

**SECOND DOG**
When you have the lead, you may transfer
the lead to your partner. Follows no Cat.

Own Turn

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