Are you looking for a challenging and fun card game to play with friends or family? How about learning how to play Tongits, a popular Filipino card game that is easy to learn but difficult to master. Originating in China, Tongits made its way to the Philippines in the early 1900s and quickly became a favorite pastime among Filipinos. With its exciting gameplay and challenging strategy, Tongits has become a staple of Filipino households.
Gameplay:
Tongits is a shedding-type card game played with a modified deck of 52 cards. The objective of the game is to be the first player to get rid of all their cards. The game starts with each player being dealt 13 cards. Players then take turns drawing and discarding cards, trying to form melds. A meld is a set of three or more cards of the same rank or a run of three or more cards of the same suit.
Winning the Game:
To win the game, a player must "tongits" or get rid of all their cards. A player can tongits by melding all their cards or by discarding their last card onto a meld on the table. If a player is unable to meld or discard any cards, they must draw a card from the draw pile. If the draw pile is empty, the player must pass their turn. The game continues until one player tongits.
Getting Started: Setting Up the Game
Tongits is played with a standard deck of 52 cards. The game can be played with 2 to 4 players, but it is most commonly played with 3 or 4. To begin the game:
Objective of the Game
The objective of Tongits is to be the first player to get rid of all of his or her cards. The player who does this first is the winner.
Playing the Game
To begin the game, one player shuffles the deck and deals 12 cards to each player. The remaining cards are placed face down in a pile in the center of the table. The player to the left of the dealer goes first.
On his or her turn, a player can do one of the following:
- Draw a card: The player can draw the top card from either the draw pile or the discard pile.
- Play a card: The player can play a card from his or her hand onto the table. Cards can be played in sets or runs. A set is three or more cards of the same rank. A run is three or more cards of the same suit in consecutive order.
- Meld: If a player has a set or run of at least three cards, he or she can meld it. To meld, the player places the cards face up on the table.
- Tongits: If a player has no cards left in his or her hand, he or she has "tongits" and wins the game.
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Tongits | A player who has no cards left in his or her hand |
| Meld | A set of three or more cards of the same rank or a run of three or more cards of the same suit in consecutive order |
| Draw pile | The pile of cards in the center of the table from which players can draw |
| Discard pile | The pile of cards on the table that have been played by other players |
Dealing the Cards
Tongits is played with a standard deck of 52 cards. To start the game, the dealer shuffles the deck and deals out cards to each player.
Number of Cards Dealt
The number of cards dealt to each player depends on the number of players in the game:
| Number of Players | Cards Dealt |
|---|---|
| 2 | 13 |
| 3 | 10 |
| 4 | 8 |
| 5 | 7 |
| 6 | 6 |
Dealing Procedure
The dealer deals the cards one at a time, starting with the player to the left. The dealer gives each player the same number of cards face down. Once all the players have received their cards, the remaining cards are placed in a pile in the center of the table, known as the “draw pile.”
Dealing the Last Card
The last card dealt is placed face up next to the draw pile. This card becomes the first card of the discard pile. The player who receives this card is the first player to take their turn.
Gameplay: Playing Your Turn
During your turn, you will have the following options:
1. Draw a Card
You can draw a card from either the top of the draw pile or the top of the discard pile. If you draw from the discard pile, you must take the entire pile.
2. Meld a Card
If you have three or more cards of the same rank or three or more cards in a sequence, you can meld them. To meld, place the cards face up on the table in front of you.
3. Hit a Meld
If you have a card that matches the rank or sequence of a meld on the table, you can hit the meld. To hit a meld, place your card face up on top of the meld.
4. Play a Trump Card
If you have a trump card, you can play it at any time during your turn. Trump cards can be used to beat any other card, including melds. There are two types of trump cards: red 3s and black 3s. Red 3s are the strongest trump cards, followed by black 3s.
| Trump Card | Strength |
|---|---|
| Red 3 | Strongest |
| Black 3 | Medium |
Forming Combinations and Melds
Tongits, a popular Filipino card game, involves forming combinations and melds to score points. Here’s a detailed overview of the different types of combinations:
Triplets
A triplet consists of three cards of the same rank, regardless of suit. For example, three Queens or three Aces form a triplet.
Quads
A quad is a set of four cards of the same rank. Quads are more valuable than triplets, and players aim to collect them early in the game.
Straight
A straight is a set of three or more cards in sequence, regardless of suit. For example, 4-5-6 or Jack-Queen-King are considered straights.
Flush
A flush is a set of three or more cards of the same suit, regardless of rank. Flushes are valuable in Tongits, and players often try to complete them as soon as possible.
Tongits
A tongits is the highest-scoring combination in Tongits. It consists of a straight, a flush, and a triplet or a quad. Tongits can be completed with a minimum of seven cards. Here are the different ways to form a tongits:
| Type | Combination |
|---|---|
| Pure Tongits | Three straight cards of the same suit + three cards of the same rank (triplet) |
| Fitted Tongits | Four straight cards of the same suit + three cards of the same rank (quad) |
| Natural Tongits | Seven or more cards in a straight and a flush |
| Suiting Tongits | Six or more cards in a straight + three cards of the same rank (triplet) |
| Hosing Tongits | Six or more cards in a flush + three cards of the same rank (triplet) |
Declaring and Scoring
Declaring and scoring in Tongits involves completing specific card combinations and calculating the corresponding points.
Declaring a Tongin
A player wins by forming a “tongin,” which is a set of three cards of the same rank. When a player forms a tongin, they must declare it by placing the three cards face up on the table.
Declaring a Tongits
A “tongits” is a tongin that includes a Joker or 2. When a player forms a tongits, they must declare it and win the round immediately.
Scoring
Points are awarded for completing certain card combinations:
| Combination | Points |
|---|---|
| Tongin | 10 |
| Tongits | 15 |
| Bomb (4 Aces) | 20 |
| Triplet (3 cards of different ranks) | 5 |
| Run (3 or more consecutive cards) | 3 |
| Pair (2 cards of the same rank) | 2 |
Special Points
Additional points are awarded for certain special cards and combinations:
- Joker: 10 points
- 2: 5 points
- Ace: 1 point
- Most cards at the end of the round: 20 points
The Knock Phase
The Knock Phase is the final stage of Tongits, where players attempt to get rid of all their cards by melding or discarding them. This phase begins when a player has only three cards remaining in their hand, and they must knock on the table to signify the start of the phase. During this phase, players can continue to meld cards and discard the rest.
7. Declaring Tongits
Once a player has melded all of their cards, they can declare “Tongits” to win the game. However, if another player has also melded all of their cards, it results in a draw, known as “Patong.” In this case, the player who declared “Tongits” first wins the game.
| Melds | Cards Required |
|---|---|
| Straight | Three or more cards in sequence, in the same suit |
| Flush | Three or more cards of the same suit |
| Three-of-a-kind | Three cards of the same rank |
| Four-of-a-kind | Four cards of the same rank |
How To Play Tongits
Tongits is a rummy-style card game that is popular in the Philippines. It is played with a standard deck of 52 cards, and the objective of the game is to be the first player to get rid of all of their cards.
The game is played with 3-6 players. Each player is dealt a hand of 12 cards. The remaining cards are placed face down in a pile in the center of the table. The top card of the pile is turned over and placed face up next to the pile. This card is the “starter card”.
The player to the left of the dealer starts the game by playing a card from their hand. The card must match the suit or number of the starter card. If the player cannot play a card, they must draw a card from the pile.
The game continues clockwise around the table. A player can play a single card, or they can play a meld. A meld is a combination of three or more cards of the same suit or rank. Melds can be played in any order, but they must be played in sequence. For example, a player could play a meld of three 4s, or they could play a meld of three spades.
If a player plays a meld, the other players must try to match it. If a player cannot match the meld, they must draw a card from the pile.
The game continues until one player gets rid of all of their cards. The winner is the player who gets rid of all of their cards first.
