App review: Tichu card game ups the ante for digital trick taking

Normally, to get a game of Tichu going, you need to round up three friends. If you don’t have any card-playing friends who know Tichu, then maybe you have to tell them you’re going to have a Bridge party, then *bam!* you bust out the 56-card Tichu deck at the last minute. This sort of gamer subterfuge is a thing of the past, thanks to the brand-new Tichu app from Steve Blanding. Now, any number of players can enjoy the card game at any time: one person can play against three computer opponents or link up with other people on their iDevices (the $2.99 app is universal) and the computer will fill in any empty seats.

Why bother with all of this? Because Tichu is one of the best – and most well-regarded – card game around. The rules will be familiar enough to people who enjoy trick-taking games but it’s different enough to present a fresh challenge and is enjoyable every time. Keep reading to find out all about it.

Gallery: Tichu on the iPad