All of the other players, in turn order, then have the opportunity to play a higher set of cards in the exact same combination. The player who leads plays a certain combination of cards, like a pair or a full house. Players split into two partnerships, sitting opposite each other. It uses a normal deck of cards, although the suits are different. Tichu is the best card game that I’ve ever played. I think that’s part of the reason why many gamers are so enamored by Tichu. But we still know that there is joy to be derived when the deck is shuffled and the cards are dealt. We are drawn away by flashier designs that promise more, though they frequently deliver less.

Bridge is well-regarded by many, and I know of some gamers who are usually up for a game of Cribbage. It’s a pleasure that most hobby gamers don’t partake in very often. I have many fond memories of sitting around the table with friends and family, passing away hours playing cards. And then there was my old friend Euchre, our family favorite. I considered myself quite good at games like Egyptian Ratscrew, and when I got into college that enjoyment turned towards more staid games like Spades and Five Hundred. Included in that number were several different card games. The difference was, I played games that most people knew about. In the pre-hobby days of my youth, I was no less of a gamer.