How to Play Tongits

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Updated: October 7, 2019 | References

Tongits is a card game similar to Gin Rummy. To play Tongits, you need a standard deck of 52 playing cards and a total of 3 players. The object of Tongits is to be the first to play all of your cards or to have the lowest score. Each card has a value in Tongits, which includes 10 for a face card, corresponding numerical values for number cards, and 1 for an ace. Your goal is to play cards so you have fewer points than your opponents at the end of the game. You can play cards by creating melds, which are sets of 3 or more of the same card or 3 or more cards of the same suit in a sequence. You can also lay off cards on other players melds, which is when you place 1 or more cards down that fit into the meld. There are 4 different ways to win the game, including having the lowest score, calling “Tongit,” calling “Draw,” or challenging after someone else calls “Draw.”

Part One of Three:
Setting up the Game

  1. 1
    Gather 3 people and a deck of playing cards with the jokers removed. Tongits is a 3 player game, so you’ll need exactly 3 people to play. Shuffle a standard 52-card deck and take the jokers out of it. Tongits doesn’t use jokers, so set them aside for the duration of the game.[1]
    • You’ll also need a flat surface to place cards on, so sit around a table or in a circle on the floor.
  2. 2
    Roll a die to select the dealer for the first hand. Have everyone roll a 6-sided die and let the person with the highest roll be the first dealer. The dealer of the first hand is chosen at random, and then the winner of the next game becomes the new dealer. Each time someone new wins the game, that person becomes the dealer.[2]
    • If 2 or more players roll the same number, have them roll again.

    Tip: The benefit of being the dealer is that you get to go first, which means that you’ll get 1 more card than the other 2 players. This can work in your favor if you get a good card or it might land you with more points if someone calls “Tongits” or “Draw” early in the game.

  3. 3
    Deal 13 cards to yourself if you’re the dealer and 12 to the others. Hand 1 card at a time face down to yourself and to each of the other players. Deal the cards going counterclockwise around the table. When you’re done, make sure that you have 13 cards and the other 2 players have 12 cards each.[3]
  4. 4
    Place the remaining cards face down in the center of the table. Don’t shuffle the cards first. Just place them face down. This is called the stock pile and you’ll draw a card from this pile or the discard pile on each of your turns.[4]
    • The discard pile starts after the first player discards a card. Place all discarded cards face up in a pile next to the stock pile. You may draw 1 card from the top of this pile on your turn.

Part Two of Three:
Taking Turns

  1. 1
    Draw a card from the deck at the center of the table. The dealer goes first in each new game and then play continues in a counterclockwise manner. On your turn, draw 1 card from the stock pile. You may look at the card, but don’t let the other 2 players see it. Place the card into your hand.[5]
    • Once the discard pile has been started, you may draw the top card from this pile instead of drawing from the stock pile.
  2. 2
    Expose a meld if you have one by placing it face up on the table. Melds are 3 or 4 cards of one kind. Place any melds you play face up in front of you for the second action on your turn. After you draw a card, look at your hand to see if you have 3 or 4 cards of the same number or a straight flush, which is 3 or more cards of the same suit in sequence. If you do, lay them down. Keep in mind that you can play more than 1 meld in a turn.[6]
    • For example, if you have 3 Kings, you could put all 3 down at once for a meld.
    • If you have a 6, 7, and 8 of spades, you could put these down at once for a meld.
  3. 3
    Lay off 1 or more cards on exposed melds to play cards you can’t use in new melds. Once you or another player has put down a meld, you can add cards to that meld on your turn, but only if you have cards that fit with it. This means that if you put down 3 of the same number cards, and you get the fourth on another turn, you could put it down. Or, if one of your opponents puts down a sequence of cards in the same suit and you have the next 2 in the sequence, you could put those cards down on your opponent's meld during your turn.[7]
    • For example, if a player puts down 3 Aces and you have an Ace in your hand, you can play it on that player’s meld.
    • Or, if one of your opponents puts down a 4, 5, and 6 of hearts and you have the 3 and 7 of hearts, you could put these down on that player’s meld.
  4. 4
    Discard a card at the end of your turn. After you finish laying off, the last thing to do on your turn is to discard a card. Place the card face up next to the stock pile. The dealer will place the first card on the discard pile on their first turn. Since the goal of Tongits is to be the player with the lowest score at the end of the game, you may want to discard your highest point value cards. However, you might want to hang onto them if you expect to be able to meld them or lay them off on an upcoming turn.[8]
    • For example, if you have a King in your hand, this will count for 10 points at the end of the game if you cannot get rid of it, so it might be wise to discard it.
    • On the other hand, if you have 2 Kings, you might want to keep them in the hopes of getting a third and making a meld at some point in the game.

    Tip: Keep in mind that other players may draw the cards you discard, so be careful not to discard anything that you could incorporate into another player’s meld.

  5. 5
    Repeat the sequence on each of your turns. After you finish your turn, the next player will follow the same sequence on their turn. Continue to take turns with your fellow players to continue playing the game.[9]

Part Three of Three:
Winning the Game

  1. 1
    Tally up your points if the stock pile is exhausted. If the game goes on until all of the cards in the stock pile are gone, this is the end of the game. Have all of the players tally up their points after the player who drew the last card completes their turn. Points values for the cards are as follows:[10]
    • Kings, Queens, and Jacks are worth 10 points each.
    • Number cards are worth their number value, such as 9 points for a 9, 4 points for a 4, etc.
    • Aces are worth 1 point each.[11]
  2. 2
    Play all of your cards and call out “Tongit” to win during your turn. If you manage to be the first player to meld, lay off, or discard all of your cards, call out “Tongit!” during your turn. Do this right after you play or discard your last card. This means you have won the game.[12]
    • Keep in mind that you must meld, lay off, or discard the last of your cards on your turn and say “Tongit!” to win the game. You cannot do this during another player’s turn.
    • If another player gets rid of their cards and says “Tongit!” on their turn before you, they win the game.
  3. 3
    Call “draw” on your turn if you think you have the lowest points total. If you have very few cards in your hand or if you believe that you have a low value hand, you can call out “Draw!” during your turn. If the other players accept your claim to the lowest points value, they can simply fold their hands and you win that round. However, if a player challenges your draw by saying “Challenge!” tally up the points values of your hands. The player with the lowest points value is the winner.[13]
    • You may not call “Draw” if someone has just played on one of your melds. Wait until after the next turn when no one has played on one of your melds to call “Draw!”
    • Don’t count cards that you have melded or laid off. Only count the cards that you are holding in your hand.

    Warning: Be aware that if you call a draw and someone challenges you, you might lose the round.

  4. 4
    Earn chips for your accomplishments during the game. You can keep track of the overall score in Tongits by using poker chips. Distribute poker chips to each player at the end of a game to keep track of their points. Assign a monetary value to each of the chips or just use them to tally up points. Try playing 3 or more rounds of Tongits and see who has the most points at the end to declare an overall winner. The points values of different actions are as follows:[14]
    • 1 chip if you won the game, or 3 chips if you won by declaring “Tongit!” or if you won a draw after declaring “Challenge!”
    • 1 chip for each Ace in your hand or in one of your melds
    • 3 chips for a meld of 4 or more cards in your hand or that you placed face down on the table
    • If you lose after being challenged, you’ve been “Burned.” Lose 1 point after you tally up your chips at the end of a game.

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  • Be aware that playing Tongits is illegal in some countries because of the betting aspects of the game. Ensure that it is legal for you to play Tongits in your location before engaging in this game.[15]
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Co-Authored By:
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Updated: October 7, 2019
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Categories: Card Games

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