How to Play the Card Game "Tonk"
"Tonk" is sort of a variation on "Rummy," but with the additions of wagers and calling of "Tonk." You are tasked with trying to create runs and ranks in which you can lay down in front of you or play off other players' runs and ranks. The person to rid their hand of cards wins the wager set at the beginning of the game, or the hand. Play as many hands as you like, even without stakes.
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
-
1
Decide the stakes for the game. Since "Tonk" is a gambling games—a very loose gambling game—you’ll need to decide what the stakes of each hand.
-
2
Determine the order of play by dealing the cards face up until one of the players is dealt a jack. This player will act as the first dealer. Subsequent deals will move to the left in a clockwise direction around the table.
-
-
3
Deal out the deck until each player has a total of 5 cards in their hand. Set the remaining cards to the center of the table as it will act as the draw pile for the rest of the round.
-
4
Call "Tonk "if your hand totals 49 or more points. Face cards are worth 10 points, aces are worth 1 point and the remaining cards are worth their face value. No matter which cards you are dealt, the highest possible points in any given hand will be 50. Once someone calls "Tonk," the hand is over and each player will pay the winner the decided stakes for the hand. Otherwise, the game continues.
-
5
Play your hand by drawing and discarding cards, starting with the person to the dealer’s left. You are looking to create ranks and runs of three or more. Ranks are three- or four-of-a-kind and runs are sequences of cards in the same suit—K, Q, J, 10 or J, 10, 9 and so on. You must have a set of 3 cards to lay them down, unless you are playing on someone else’s previous play. And you may only draw and discard 1 card per turn.
-
6
End play when someone either has no cards remaining in his or the draw pile is exhausted. The player who rids their cards first wins the stakes. When the draw pile is exhausted, the player with the lowest point total in his hand, not cards played, wins the stakes.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
"Tonk" can only be called at the start of each round with the card dealt to you. Once this stage has passed, you are not able to call it until the next round.
Aces are always low and can only be played at the end of run—3, 2, Ace—not at the start—Ace, King, Queen. Of course, you can still play an ace as part of a rank.
You may also lay down all five cards in your hand if you believe you have the lowest total points. All other players will expose their hands, and the lowest hand wins the stakes, unless it was the caller—he will win double.
