Tonk

I was at a friend’s place, and they played this card game for money. I said that looks just like 500 rummy. They didn’t know what 500 Rummy was, but I continued to say that it looked very similar to what you’re playing, but instead of playing for money, you count the cards for points, and whoever reaches 500 wins!

With that said, I immediately had to look up what Tonk was. I was pretty close.

Tonk is a matching card game incorporating elements from Knock Rummy and Conquian. It’s typically played by 2-4 participants, either for points or for money wagered. The game gained popularity amongst blues and jazz musicians in southern Louisiana during the 1930s, often being played for money, with each player paying the stake to the hand winner.

The game uses a standard fifty-two-card deck plus two jokers. They are dealt five, seven, or nine cards depending on the number of players. The objective is to dispose of one’s cards by forming them into spreads, which may be three or four identical or sequential cards of the same suit.

The first player wins the game by eliminating all their cards or the player with the fewest points when play is stopped. Variations exist in gameplay, such as melding sets or runs, hitting other players’ melds, and ‘tonking out’ by using all cards in a spread or hitting multiple times. Some house rules might include provisions for automatic wins based on hand count or spades dealt. Betting who has the highest spade dealt in their opening hand is also possible.

Knock Rummy

In Knock Rummy, players draw a card from either the stock (undealt cards) or discard pile, then discard one card. The unique aspect of Knock Rummy is the “knocking” rule – instead of playing until one player has gotten rid of all their cards, a player can end the round at their turn by “knocking.” This means they lay down their melds (sets or runs) and discard a card, indicating the end of the round.

Players then compare the values of the unmatched cards (deadwood). The player who knocked scores the difference between their deadwood and each other player’s deadwood. However, if a player can lay off all their deadwood on the knocker’s melds, it’s called an undercut, and the knocker is penalized.

The game continues over several rounds until a player reaches a predetermined score, typically 100 or 150 points.

Conquian

Conquian, also known as Coon Can or Colonel, is considered one of the earliest forms of Rummy. It’s a card game that originated in Mexico in the 19th century and spread to the United States in the early 20th century.

The game is played with a Spanish deck of 40 cards (which is like a standard 52-card deck without the 8s and 9s). There are two players, each of whom is dealt ten cards. The game aims to be the first player to eliminate all your cards by forming them into combinations.

Combinations in Conquian can be sequences of three or more cards in the same suit (for example, the 4, 5, and 6 of hearts) or three or four cards of the same rank (for example, three kings). One unique rule in Conquian is that sequences must start with a card from the rank of 1-7 and can’t go round-the-corner (i.e., a sequence can’t go from 7 to 1).

During their turn, a player can either draw a card from the top of the stock (the undealt cards) or take the top card from the discard pile, but only if they can use it immediately in a combination. They then end their turn by discarding a card.

The game continues until one player has no cards left (having used them all in combinations); they are declared the winner.

500 Rummy

It wouldn’t be right not to mention 500 Rummy since it’s part of the Rummy family, and this is the game I grew up to know and love.

500 Rummy, or Pinochle Rummy, is a rummy card game played with two to four players. It resembles other popular rummy variations, such as Tonk.

The game aims to score 500 points by forming melds (sets or runs) and laying off cards onto other players’ melds. The game is typically played with a standard deck of 52 without jokers.

Players are dealt seven cards each, and the remaining cards are placed face down to form the stockpile. The top card from the stock pile is turned over and placed face up next to it to form the discard pile.

On their turn, players can either draw a card from the stockpile or take the top card from the discard pile. They then end their turn by discarding one card to the discard pile.

Players can form melds by laying down three or more cards of the same rank (set) or in sequential order of the same suit (run). Players can also lay off cards onto other players’ melds to reduce the number of cards in their hands.

The game continues until a player reaches 500 points or more. They are declared the winner, and all other players’ points are tallied. A player must have at least one meld with no deadwood (unmatched cards) to win. If no player reaches 500 points by the end of the round, the player with the least points wins.

In conclusion, rummy is a family of card games people have enjoyed for many years. From its origins in Mexico to its popularity amongst musicians in Louisiana and beyond, rummy continues to be a beloved game people play worldwide. With variations like Tonk, Knock Rummy, and Conquian, there is always something new to discover and enjoy in the world of rummy. So gather your friends and family, grab a deck of cards, and have fun playing this timeless game of skill and strategy. So next time you’re looking for a fun card game to play with others, try rummy! Happy playing!