
- BGG rank
- BGG #14,956
- BGG rating
- 7.4
We Need To Talk: A Trick-Taking and Shedding Game About Letting Go
- 3–4 players
- 30–45 min
- Complexity 2.0/5
- 2024

Rules assistance for Zheng Fen
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Zheng Fen is a board game for 2–6 players, 30 minutes per game, and ages 9 and up. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Trick-taking, and Ladder Climbing.
Chinese card game combining traditional "climbing/shedding" mechanic of games like Big 2 with point-card scoring of Chinese trick games like Da Bai Fen (Hundred) and Tuo la Ji (Tractor). The popular game Tichu took much of its rules and mechanics from Zheng Fen. Distinctive features: Deck includes two jokers, which function as wild cards if used in combinations and the highest two cards if used as singles. Players don't score for going out, but rather for collecting 5s, 10s, Ks. Five points for 5s; 10 points for 10s and Ks. Combinations include singles, pairs, trios, quartets, sequences of three or more pairs, trios, quartets; and a "trio plus two" (+ a pair, or any two pt cards, or any two cards in sequence). Sequences don't have to be the same length. Player going out first gets last player's tricks.
Zheng Fen supports 2–6 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Zheng Fen is 30 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 Zheng Fen for ages 9 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.
Zheng Fen has a complexity rating of 2.7 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-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.
Zheng Fen belongs to these categories: Card Game. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Trick-taking, and Ladder Climbing. 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 catalogue lists Zheng Fen 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.