Tonk Cards Game Rules
Posted : admin On 3/29/2022I learned this game while working in DC in the late 70s. Over the years - I've had no one else to play with; and now, I've forgotten to play it - and I've never found it in a Card Game Book. I remember that if you are dealt 49 or 50, it was an automatic TONK (I think) - but if someone can walk me through the rules - YOU GOT 10 PTS. It is also known as Tonk Tunk card game. Play the world’s #1, top rated, multiplayer, battle online card game app. Which is a popular form of rummy free and similar to Gin Rummy Online. Tonk is played with a standard deck of 52 playing cards and each card has a point value in the game. All picture cards are worth 10 points, but aces are worth only 1 point. The rest of the cards are worth their face value in points. A 2 is worth 2 points, a 3 is worth 3 points, and so on.
The 31 card game doesn’t literally mean playing with 31 cards. In this game, players strive to obtain a hand value of close to or equal to 31. A lot of variations exist; the popular ones being, Skat, Blitz, Stop the Bus, Klinker, Big Tonka, etc.
Tonk is a card game played with a standard 52 card poker deck that I first came across in Glen Cook's Black Company series of fantasy books which I highly recommend. From the readings, I was able to piece together a playable and enjoyable card game that is both fast paced and strategic. I'm also aware that there are other games with the name of Tonk but with different rules. If anyone knows this game, please post follow up articles to point out my mistakes and whatnot.
To begin, with a shuffled deck (statistical studies show that seven shuffles are best) deal five cards to each player. The players then find the total of their hands by summing the values of each card: face cards are ten, aces are one, all other cards have their number value. If a player's hand has a total of less than or equal to fifteen or greater than or equal to 49, then that player has Tonk and must say so. If no other players claim Tonk, the player who does have it has won and must be payed double the payoff by each player. The payoff amount is agreed upon before games are played. If more than one player has Tonk, then the game is a draw and a new hand is begun. Winning in this manner, Tonking out, can only occur immediately after the deal. Once regular play has started, no one can get a Tonk. If no player has Tonk, play proceeds to the left of the dealer.
On a players turn, their are two fundamental options. The first is to attempt to win the game by going down which consists of the player dropping his hand on the table and proclaiming the current value of said hand. If that player's total is the lowest, then that player wins and each other player must pay the winner the normal payoff amount. If the player who went down does not have the lowest valued hand, then he must pay double the payoff to each of the players who have lower totals than he and the other players do nothing and pay no one.
If the player does not 'go down' he takes either the top card on the draw pile or the top card on the discard pile. If a player has three or four of a kind, a run(a straight in the same suit) of three or more cards, or cards that fit into runs from other players, he can drop those cards out of his hand, thereby reducing the total value of his hand. The cards dropped out in this manner are placed on the table in front of the player so that the other players can see any run to which they may add cards to. The player ends his turn with a discard. If at any time during his turn, the player has no more cards in his hand, he wins and all other players must pay him the payoff amount.
This sequence proceeds until someone wins the game.
Credits
Rules adaptation by John P. Speno speno@clam.rutgers.edu March 26, 1992Original game idea by Glen Cook.
The Game Cabinet - editor@gamecabinet.com - Ken Tidwell
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.
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).
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.
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.
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.
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
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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.
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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.