Play Tonk Rummy (Tunk) Online Free
Play free Tonk, also called Tunk, against Mina at a 2-player table. No download is needed. Draw, spread and discard, or knock before drawing if you think your remaining cards total less than hers.
Know the Tonk Table Before You Draw
The table keeps both hands, shared spreads, draw piles, point count, and next action in fixed lanes.
- 1
Mina's Hand
- Her five cards stay hidden until the hand is resolved.
- 2
Stock
- Draw an unknown card when the visible discard does not help.
- 3
Discard
- Take its visible top card, or place your selected discard here.
- 4
Your Hand and Spreads
- Select cards here. Sets and runs move into the shared spread lane, where either player may hit them.
How do you play Tonk Rummy?
Every turn follows a short rhythm. The only exception is knocking, which happens before you draw.
- Check the opening totalExactly 49 or 50 points is an automatic Tonk win in this version.
- Knock now or draw oneKnock before drawing if you believe your point count is lower than Mina's.
- Spread useful groupsPut down sets of three or four equal ranks, or same-suit runs of at least three cards.
- Hit an existing spreadAdd a legal card to your spread or Mina's spread to reduce your hand.
- Discard to end the turnSelect one card, place it on the discard pile, and keep your remaining total low.
Tonk Rules, Demonstrated
Replay each example to see one complete rule. The same rules are enforced on the live table above.
Match three or four equal ranks
A set may mix suits. Three Queens are valid because every card has the same rank, and the fourth Queen may hit that spread later.
Keep runs in one suit with Ace low
A♥ 2♥ 3♥ is valid. Queen-King-Ace is not a run here.
Knock before drawing, not after
A successful knock needs a lower count than Mina. If your count is tied or higher, you are caught and Mina gains the difference plus 10.
How do you automatically win in Tonk?
An opening Tonk is a five-card hand worth exactly 49 or 50 points. The check happens before any draw. A total of 48 does not qualify. If both players open with Tonk, the hand is a draw and neither receives points.
Best Tonk Decisions for a New Player
- Count before you knockA low visible total is useful, but Mina's hidden hand still makes every knock a risk.
- Take a discard with a jobPrefer a visible card that completes a spread or creates an immediate hit.
- Spread high cards firstRemoving a Queen or King cuts 10 points from the hand you may need to compare.
- Watch both players' spreadsA hit on Mina's run is just as useful as a hit on your own spread.
- Discard isolated dangerUnconnected face cards are costly when a knock or empty stock ends the hand.
How does scoring work in Tonk?
First to 100 points wins the match. Card values also decide whether a knock succeeds.
| Ace | 1 point |
|---|---|
| 2 through 10 | Face value |
| Jack, Queen, King | 10 points each |
| Successful knock | Gain the difference between the two hand totals |
| Caught knock | Mina gains the difference plus 10 |
| Opening Tonk | 50 points for exactly 49 or 50 |
| Go out | Gain the opponent's remaining hand total |
| Empty stock | Lower hand gains the difference; a tie scores zero |
A low count does not guarantee a safe knock
If you knock with 9 and Mina holds 12, you gain 12 - 9 = 3 points. If she holds 7, she catches you and gains 9 - 7 + 10 = 12. If you both hold 9, she still gains the 10-point catch. Knock before drawing; after taking a card, you must finish the turn.
Tonk starts with 5 cards each, so decisions arrive quickly. If you came here expecting a 10-card hand and Gin scoring, compare Tonk with Gin Rummy before choosing a table.
Hints, Card Controls, and Sound
Use Hint for one useful next action
The hint highlights a helpful draw, spread, hit, or discard without revealing Mina's hidden cards.
- Select cards after drawing. Use Spread for a new set or run, or for a legal hit.
- To discard, select exactly one card and choose the discard pile.
- Use Sort to group the hand by suit and rank without spending a turn.
- Keyboard players can focus a card and press Enter or Space to select it.
Tonk questions answered
How many cards do you deal in Tonk?
Tonk starts with five cards for each player at this table. One card begins the discard pile and the remaining 41 cards form the stock. The game uses one 52-card deck without Jokers.
Are Tonk and Tunk the same game?
Tonk and Tunk are two spellings of the same rummy game. The spelling does not identify a particular rule set. OnlineCardGames.io uses five-card hands, open spreads and a first-to-100 match.
Can you knock with any score in Tonk?
Knocking in this Tonk version has no ten-point limit. You may knock before drawing, but your remaining total must be strictly lower than Mina's to win. An equal total catches the knocker and awards the other player 10 points.
Can you add cards to another player's spread?
Tonk allows you to add a legal card to either player's spread after drawing. For example, an 8 of Clubs can extend a 5-6-7 Club run. Cards left in your hand still count against you, even if they could form an unplayed spread.
Can you finish Tonk without discarding?
Tonk can end when you spread or hit your last card, or when you discard your last card. In either case, this table awards the winner the total left in the opponent's hand. It does not apply a separate double-payment bonus for finishing without a discard.
What happens when the stock runs out in Tonk?
An empty stock brings the Tonk hand to an end. Remaining card totals are compared: the lower hand gains the difference, and an equal count awards no points. The discard pile is not reshuffled.
Rules and variations
Tonk has many house rules. Pagat's Tonk rules describe the five-card deal, Ace-low spreads and pre-draw knock. The point awards above describe OnlineCardGames.io's free match, rather than the cash payments used in some physical games.
Need Help?
Send rule questions, accessibility feedback, or bug reports to help@onlinecardgames.io. Include the device and what happened before the issue so we can reproduce it.