
- BGG rank
- BGG #15,744
- BGG rating
- 6.6
Boba Mahjong
- 2 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 1.0/5
- 2022

2009
Rules assistance for Tien Zi Que
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 2 players

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Tien Zi Que is a board game released in 2009 for 2 players, 20 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Ta-Te Wu and its main mechanics are Hand Management and Set Collection.
Tien Zi Que (TZQ) is an entertaining pocket MahJong for two. It uses a unique selection of MahJong cards, and each card has an added color code (blue, green, red, white or black) for special scoring. With exceptional game play, TZQ brings you more fun and strategy than the traditional MahJong. All you need is 5 cards on hand and little or no MahJong knowledge to play. Tien Zi stands for son of the god, and it is also another name for the emperor of China. Que stands for Sparrow. Goal / Winning the Game After creating a Set, the winning player chooses to keep one of the cards for end of the Round scoring. When one player completes five Sets, he calls MahJong and wins the Round immediately. He then uses the one card from each Set to score. Players' points are accumulated after every winning round; the game is played to 4 rounds. Components: 54 cards Combines with: Tien Zi Que: White Dragon, TZQ Red Dragon, and TZQ Green Dragon. Mix any two TZQ games for 3-4 player game, and mix any three TZQ games for 5-6 player game.
Tien Zi Que supports 2 players according to the catalogue. This is the publisher’s listed player count, so the game is designed for exactly that number of participants. Variants for other group sizes, if any, are described in the rulebook of your edition, so check it before setting up a different configuration.
The listed playing time for Tien Zi Que is 20 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Tien Zi Que for ages 8 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Tien Zi Que has a complexity rating of 1.7 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Tien Zi Que belongs to these categories: Card Game and Number. Its main mechanics are Hand Management and Set Collection. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Tien Zi Que are: Ta-Te Wu. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Tien Zi Que as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.