Fancy a card game that’s easy to pick up but packs a punch of fun? Look no further than Tongits! This engaging game is a favourite for good reason, bringing people together for some friendly competition and strategic thinking, and the virtual version is available on table games casino sites.
If you’re itching to learn how to play Tongits, you’ve come to the right place. This guide will walk you through the simple steps to get you in the game in no time.
What You Need to Play Tongits
To get started, all you need is a standard 52-card deck and a few friends. Ideally two, three, or four players. The main aim of Tongits is to be the first player to empty your hand of all your cards by forming combinations, or to have the lowest score when a round ends.
Understanding the Cards and Values
Just like many table games, each card in Tongits has a rank and a point value. The ranks run from Ace (the lowest in sequence but can be high in sets), through 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and up to Jack, Queen, and King (the highest ranks).
When it comes to points, Ace is worth 1 point, cards numbered 2 through 10 are worth their face value, and the Jack, Queen, and King each carry a value of 10 points. Remember, in Tongits, lower scores are what you’re aiming for!
Dealing and Initial Setup
To kick things off, you’ll need a dealer. This can be decided by any method you all agree on. The dealer then shuffles the deck and deals the cards. If there are two players, each gets 12 cards. If there are three or four players, the first player to the dealer’s left receives 13 cards, and the remaining players each get 12 cards.
The undealt cards are placed face-down in the middle to form the draw pile, and the top card of the draw pile is flipped face-up next to it to start the discard pile.
The Gameplay: Taking Your Turn
Once the cards are dealt, the player to the dealer’s left starts the game. On your turn, you have two main actions you can take.
First, you must draw a card. You can choose to take the top card from the face-down draw pile, or if you think it will help you form a combination, you can take the top card from the face-up discard pile.
After drawing a card, you have the opportunity to “meld”. Melding involves forming sets of three or four cards of the same rank (like three Queens or four 7s) or straights of three or more consecutive cards of the same suit (like 4, 5, and 6 of hearts).
If you have any melds in your hand, you can choose to lay them down face-up on the table. This is called “spreading”. You can do this at the start of your turn or after you draw a card.
Importantly, after drawing (and optionally melding), you must discard one card face-up onto the discard pile. This ends your turn, and play passes to the next player in a clockwise direction.
Going Tongits and Calling Fight
The ultimate goal in Tongits is to go “Tongits“. This happens when you manage to use all the cards in your hand to form melds, leaving you with no unmatched cards. If you achieve this on your turn, you immediately win the round!
However, if the game continues for a while and no one manages to go “Tongits”,(kinda like screaming uno) there’s another way the round can end.
After a certain number of rounds, often when the draw pile runs out or after the discard pile has been cycled, a player can choose to call a “Fight” on their turn instead of discarding.
When a fight is called, all the other players reveal their remaining unmatched cards. The scores of these unmatched cards are then tallied, and the player with the lowest total score is declared the winner of the fight.
The player who calls the fight also reveals their hand and their unmatched cards are included in the scoring.
Scoring and Winning
At the end of a round, whether someone goes Tongits or a Fight is called, scores are calculated. If a player goes Tongits, they usually receive zero points or even a negative score.
For everyone else, their score is the total point value of the unmatched cards left in their hand.
In a game played over multiple rounds, the scores from each round are added up. The overall winner is typically the first player to reach a pre-agreed target score.
Basic Strategies for Newcomers
Whether played with friends or on online table casino games, there are a few simple strategies that can help you get started:
- Focus on forming melds early: The quicker you can create sets and straights, the fewer unmatched cards you’ll likely have.
- Pay attention to discards: Observing what your opponents are discarding can give you clues about what combinations they might be trying to form and what cards they might need.
- Try to get rid of high-value cards: Since unmatched cards count against you, it’s wise to discard Jacks, Queens, and Kings when you have a safer option.
- Think carefully before drawing from the discard pile: While that discarded card might complete your meld, it could also be exactly what another player needs.
Conclusion On Tongits For Newcomers
Tongits is a fantastic card game that’s easy to learn but offers plenty of strategic depth to keep things interesting. With these simple rules, you’re now ready to gather your friends, deal the cards, and experience the fun for yourself.
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If the draw pile is empty and no one has gone Tongits or called a Fight, the current round typically ends, and players score based on their unmatched cards in hand.
Yes. Some regional or house rules might exist, such as different point penalties or specific conditions for ending a round, but the core gameplay generally remains the same.
Generally, in online versions. You can usually view the discard pile at any time, but in physical games, it’s common courtesy to only look at the top card before your draw.
Yes. Numerous online gaming platforms and mobile apps offer Tongits for multiplayer gaming against friends or other players globally such as Fachai and Jili Games.
The number of rounds can vary; players often agree on a target score (e.g., 100 points) or a set number of rounds before starting a game.