Tonk Cards Game Rules

Tonk is an enjoyable game that is widely played in the USA.
It can also be known as Tunk, and it’s a Rummy style game that
involves creating runs (cards in sequential rank) and books
(cards of equal rank). It’s a fast pace game, usually played by 2-4
players, and it’s typically played for money.

Rules of TONKOUT. Tonkout is a card game that you can play with between 2 and 4 players with a standard 52 deck of cards. Tonkout is played for points or for fun but can be played for money with a stake agreed on before the game starts. The stakes may be any amount, but are typically small because Tonkout is fast and furious. Only the player on the dealer's left, whose turn comes first, may take the first upcard. Before discarding, the player may 'tunk' (knock) if their unmatched cards count five or less. The player then spreads their hand, separating matched and unmatched cards. A matched set may have no more than four cards and must include two natural cards. In Tonk, the numerical values are: One point for aces. Ten points for all picture cards (the jack, queen, and king) The face value for numerical cards (for example, a two of hearts equals two points).

The game is believed to have been very popular with musicians
in jazz clubs during the 1930s and 1940s, but its origins aren’t clear. Since that time, Tonk has grown in popularity
throughout the United States and other parts of the world. It’s one of
those games that everyone seems to have slightly different rules
for, so if you are playing with people for the first time it’s a
good idea to clarify exactly what the rules are.

Below we have explained a common set of rules for Tonk. As
we’ve said, you’ll find different variations of the game, but
the fundamental rules are always pretty much the same.

The Basics

A standard 52 card deck is used in Tonk and it can be played
by up to six players, or even more, depending on the variation
being played. It’s most commonly played by 2-4 players.
Every card in the deck is assigned a value, with all picture
cards worth 10 points and aces worth 1 point. All other
cards count for their face value (so a 6 is worth 6 points and
so on).

A popular card game, Tonk is the African-American version of poker, and its rules are easy to follow. It is usually played for money, with an agreed-upon predecided stake. On winning a hand, the winner receives the predeclared stake from each player. The stakes can be of any amount, from using fake money, to using cents, dimes, or even dollars.

As Tonk is usually played for money, a basic stake should be
agreed on before a game starts. It should be noted that it’s
possible for the stakes to be doubled during a game, so this
needs to be taken into consideration when deciding the stakes.

How To Play The Card Game Tonk

At the start of a new game, all participating players cut the
cards to determine the first dealer. The player that cuts the
highest card is the dealer for the first hand, and the deal
passes clockwise for each subsequent hands.

Dealing and Tonks

Cards are then dealt to each player, one at a time and face
down. Each player receives five cards, and once they are dealt
they must look at them and add up the total value in their hand.
If any player has a hand worth 49 or 50 points (i.e. 4 cards
worth 10 points and 1 card worth 9 points or 5 cards worth 10
points) then they must announce it immediately.

This is known as a Tonk, and means the player has
automatically won. When there’s a Tonk the winning player
receives double the agreed stake from each of the other players.
If there’s more than one Tonk in a single deal, then it’s a
draw and no payments are made. Play progresses to the next hand.

If no Tonks are announced, then the dealer places the
remaining cards face down to create the stock pile. The top card
is turned face up and placed separately to create the discard
pile.

Objective & Game Play

The goal in the game is to form “spreads”, which can be
either runs or books, by drawing and discarding. Runs are three
or more cards in sequential rank order, and must be of the same
suit. For example, 3-4-5 of Hearts is a three card run. 5-6-7-8
of clubs is a four card run. Books are three or four cards of
the same rank. Three jacks is a book, for example, and so is
four tens.

When a player has a spread of three or more cards in their
hand, they may place that spread face up on the table. Players
may also add cards to existing spreads that they have put down
themselves, or that have been put down by other players. For
example, if one player has put down three jacks, then another
player may add the fourth jack to that spread on their turn.

Rules Of Tonk

Play starts with the player to the dealer’s left. The player
must draw a card, either from the discard pile or the stock
pile, and then discard one. Play moves round the table in a
clockwise direction, with each player drawing one card and
discarding one card on their turn. At any point during their
turn they may lay down a spread, or add a card to an existing
spread.

Tonk Card Game Rules

The first player to place all of their cards face up in
spreads is the winner. They are paid the agreed stake by each of
the other players, and the hand is over. The deal moves one
space to the left and a new hand is dealt. Note that having a
hand value of 49 or 50 is only of use if dealt initially. A
player cannot win by having a hand value of 49 or 50 later in
the game.

Dropping/Knocking

There’s one other way to win a game of Tonk, and that’s by
dropping (can also be known as knocking). A player can drop at
the start of their turn, and this means placing all their cards
face up on the table. They would do this if they believed they
had the lowest total point value in their hand. Once a player
has dropped, all other players show their hand and the values
are compared.

If the player who dropped does indeed have the lowest point
value, then they win the hand and each of the players must pay
them the agreed stake. If the player who dropped doesn’t have
the lowest point value, then they are said to have been caught
and must pay the agreed stake to each of the other players. They
must also pay the stake again to the player who does have the
lowest point value, as must all the other players.

OBJECTIVE OF TONK: Play all cards in hand or have the lowest value non-pair in hand at the end of the game in order to win the stake.

NUMBER OF PLAYERS: 2-3 Players

NUMBER OF CARDS: 52-card deck

TYPE OF GAME: Rummy

AUDIENCE: Adult

INTRODUCTION TO TONK

Tonk, or Tunk as it is sometimes referred, is a knock rummy and conquian game from the United States. It is supposed to be a descendant of a Filipino card game “Tong-Its.” It was a popular card game among jazz players in the 1930s and 40s.

STARTING THE GAME

Card values are as follows:

Face cards: 10 points

Aces: 1 point

Number cards: face value

Tonk is generally played for money. Before beginning, players agree upon the foundational stake- this is the amount paid to the winner by each player. Sometimes winners can win double the stake, this is called a tonk.

To determine a dealer, each player receives one card, player with the highest card acts as dealer. The deal passes to the left so new players must sit to the dealers right.

THE DEAL

The dealer passes each player five cards, one at a time, starting to their left. The top card on the deck after each player has five cards is flipped to create the discard pile. The remaining deck is the stock.

If a player’s hand initially sums to 49 or 50 points they must declare it and show their cards, this is a tonk. The hand is not played and the player with the tonk receives twice the stake from each player. If there is more than one player with a hand totaling 49 or 50 points it is a draw. Neither are paid, all cards are collected, shuffled, and a new hand is dealt.

THE PLAY

By drawing and discarding, players try to form their cards into spreads. A spread can be made of books and runs. Players will also try to discard their cards into existing spreads. To win, you must get rid of all your cards or have the lowest sum of unmatched cards at the end of the game. After play has begun, it is of no use to try and get 49 or 50 points, this only applies before gameplay.

Play begins with the player to the left of the dealer and moves clockwise. A turn gives two options:

1. You may end the play at the beginning by placing all your cards face-up on the table. This is referred to as “dropping,”“going out low,” or “knocking.” By knocking you are claiming to have the lowest total value of cards in hand with regards to other players.
2. You may continue to play by drawing or plucking the top card from the stock or the discard. Try to reduce the cards in your hand by creating or adding to spreads. Your turn ends when you discard a card to the top of the discard pile (face-up).

Only the top card of the discard should be visible, players are not allowed to rummage through the discard.

A spread is made of three or more cards that no longer count toward your hand. There are two kinds of spreads:

• Books consist of three to four cards of the same rank. For example, J-J-J or 4-4-4-4
• Runs consist of three or more cards in sequence from the same suit. For example, (spades) A-2-3-4. Ace counts as low card.

Adding a card to a spread is called hitting. If you have a spread of (Clubs) 5-6-7 and you have a 4 of clubs in hand, you may add that to the spread during your turn (before discard).

If you use all cards in hand during a turn, the play ends and you have won that hand. If not, complete your turn by discarding. If after discarding you are left with no cards, you win.

If play does not end with someone playing all their cards or knocking, play until the stock runs out (dry) and players play all the cards they can within their hand. The play ends when a player does not wish to take from the discard (but rather the empty stock.)

POST-PLAY (PAYOUT)

If a player plays all their cards without discarding, this is a “tonk” or the player has “tonked out.” They receive double the stake from each player.

3 Card Tonk Card Game Rules

If a player runs out of cards after discarding, the player with the empty hand collects the basic stake from each player.

If someone knocks, each player exposes their hand and sums the total of cards held.

• The player who knocks has the lowest total, they win the basic stake.
• The player who knocks does not have the lowest total, they pay double the stake to each player who has an equal or lower hand. Also, the player who actually held the lowest hand receives the basic stake from each player. If there is a tie for low hand, both players are paid the stake, this is called a catch.

If the stock runs dry, the player with the lowest sum receives the basic stake from each player.

VARIATIONS

After the deal, there is no discard pile formed, the first player draws from the stock and the discard pile begins with their first discard.

It is illegal to hold a spread in hand, if you have a spread you must place it down. There is an exception, in which three Aces may be held in hand. This rule seems strange, from an enforcement perspective, since hands are supposed to be secret.

Players can win double the basic stake if they make a new spread and get rid of all their cards without discarding. However, the can only win the basic stake if they only hit spreads and run out of cards without discarding.

Tonk Card Game Free

REFERENCES:

https://www.pagat.com/rummy/tonk.html

Tonk League Card Game

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tonk_(card_game)