Fives, tens and Kings are worth 5, 10 and 10 points, with each hand worth one hundred points without bonuses - but the bonuses are what drive the game. The last player out in a round gives all the cards they won to the player who exited first, and the last player's unplayed cards are handed to the opposite team.

The card led determines the only combination of cards that can be played on that trick, so if a single card is led, then only single cards are played if a straight of seven cards is led, then only straights of seven cards can be played, etc. If play passes all the way back to the player who laid the top cards, they win the trick, clears the cards, and can lead the next one. When it's your turn, you may either beat the current top card combination - single card, pair of cards, sequence of pairs, full house, etc. The deck is a standard 52-card pack with four special cards added: dog, phoenix, dragon and Mah Jong (1).

It is a partnership climbing card game, and the object of play is to rid yourself of your hand, preferably while scoring points in the process. Tichu took much of its rules and mechanics from Zheng Fen.