Tongits | Exciting and Addicting Card Game by Lodigame

If you’ve ever traveled to the Philippines and participated in one of the local card games, you might have noticed that Tongits is a game that’s played frequently there. The game is not only attractive and exciting, but it also offers a large number of options for betting. Although the card game is played often throughout the Luzon region, its precise point of origin is still a mystery. So, if you are interested in learning how to play tong-its, the following is a rough guide that you can use: 

tongits

What is Tong-its Card Value?

Three people compete in this sport, similar to the card game rummy. During the 1990s, the activity became increasingly well-known on Luzon, the largest island in the Philippines. It quickly expanded to other regions of the world, and at this very moment, a significant number of individuals can play it. 

What is Tong-its Card Value

The point value of the card is broken down below. 

  • This gives Ace one point. 
  • Face value points are assigned to cards 2 through 9. 
  • Cards 10–King are worth 10 points each.

Betting on Tongits Using Lodigame

There are a few different approaches to taking a wager on tong-its. The most fundamental kind of wagering would be a pot bet, where the initial stake maybe 5 for each player. After each round’s completion, each player must contribute 1 to the pot. The player can only win this pot if they are victorious in two rounds in a row. The pot may proliferate unless it can win two rounds in a row. 

Betting on Tongits Using Lodigame

Depending on the sum that was decided upon at the beginning, the winner of each round may also win. The following are some examples: 

  • A player can get 2 from each other if they win Tong-it. They can receive 1 for each Ace in their melded sets or hands. 
  • Players can earn as much as 3 if they come out on top in a draw. Similarly, they can get 1 if they have an Ace. 
  • Players who do not have a merged set are judged to have burned and must pay the victorious player a hundred pesos.

The players have the option of placing a variety of side bets, which helps to keep the action moving along. 

What is Meld’s Objective?

The game aims to reduce the number of unmatched cards still in your hand while maximizing the number of sets and runs you generate by drawing and discarding cards.

What is Meld_s Objective

A run comprises three or more consecutive cards of the same suit, such as heart 4, heart 5, heart 6, or spade 8, spade 9, spade 10, and spade J. For example, the heart run would be heart 4, heart 5, and heart 6. (A-K-Q of the same suit does not constitute a run in this game because aces have a low value).

A set comprises three or four cards with the same rank, such as a heart 7, a club 7, and a diamond 7. It is impossible to utilize the same card as a part of a set and a run simultaneously since each card can only belong to one combination at a time.

How to Play the Card Game Tongits

Tong-it is a game that can be played with anywhere from three to four people, although the optimal player count to maximize winnings is three people. It makes use of a regular deck of playing cards. 

How to Play the Card Game Tongits

Tong-its is a card game in which the objective is to either be the first player to use up all of one’s hand of cards or to finish with the fewest points overall. This indicates that each card has a value corresponding to a specific amount. The value of a 10 card and face cards (J, Q, and K) is 10. Although the values of the number cards 2 through 9 are comparable to those, the value of the ace card is 1. 

To play your cards, you need to combine them in a variety of different ways:

  • Groups of identical suits can include up to four members.
  • Arrangements of sets of suits that are similar in sequence

Players have another option for clearing their hands: to play cards directly on top of the melded cards their opponents have already created. However, this is only feasible if the adversary has exposed their combined cards. 

There are four distinct paths that one can take to get Tong-its. You can eliminate all of your cards and then declare a Tong-it. You might also make it your goal to have the lowest score out of everyone playing. You may also choose to challenge another player to a draw, in which case you and the player who accepts your challenge will determine who possesses the more substantial hand. The other choice is to contest the Draw made by another player. This Draw can be utilized as a bluffing technique in certain situations (more will be discussed later).

Putting Up Points in Tongits

Following each game, the victor receives the following prizes from the losers:

Putting Up Points in Tongits
  • 1 chip was awarded for victory
  • 1 chip is given to the winner for each Ace she holds in her hand or has in her exposed melds. (Aces laid off on the melds of other players do not count; this includes aces that the winner has laid off on the melds of other players and aces that other players have laid off on the winner. In addition, aces that are held by players other than the winner or placed in their melds have no impact on the payment.)
  • A loss of one chip due to getting scorched.
  • Three chips are awarded to the winner for each hidden set of four identical cards face down on the table or concealed in the winner’s hand. These hidden sets can be on the table or in the winner’s hand.
  • Tongit’s victory earns him an additional 2 chips, up from 1.
  • 3 chips are awarded to the victor of a Draw after a challenge.

In addition, the players establish a side pot to which they contribute two chips before the distribution of each hand. To claim this pot, a player must first win the previous two games in a row.

How Dealer Starts the Game?

After opening their hand by exposing one or more sets or runs face up on the table, the dealer must throw away one card face up in the middle to begin the discard pile. The dealer may expose one or more sets or run face-up on the table. The dealer’s turn is over when they discard a card, and the next player’s turn, the player to the right, begins after that. The action moves in a clockwise direction.

How Dealer Starts the Game

The following are the components of each turn:

Draw

You have to start by adding one card to your hand. Depending on which is higher, this card must come from either the top of the stockpile or the top of the discard pile. You are only permitted to pick a card from the discard pile if you can complete a meld (also known as a set or run), and if you do so, you are required to reveal the completed meld.

Exposing Melds

You can reveal any valid meld or melds (sets or runs) in your hand on the table. Taking a card from the stock does not require you to expose a meld, and melds held in hand do not count against you at the end of the play. An open hand requires at least one meld on the table. You can lay a set of four face down if you can meld it without drawing from the discard pile. This lets you “open” your hand without losing the benefit of a hidden set of 4 or showing the cards to other players.

Laying Off (Sapaw)

This is also up to the individual. You can add cards to sets or runs that have already been melded, whether by yourself or other players. A player may discard any number of cards during their turn; this ability is not capped in any way. To lay off, a player does not need to have opened their hand. When one player lays a card on top of the exposed meld of another player, it stops the other player from calling a Draw on their next turn.

Discard

At the end of your turn, you must put one card from your hand on top of the discard pile with its face up. The card must have been discarded from your hand.

How to Win in Tongits?

If no player successfully obtains Tong-its, the game will finish after the stockpile has been completely depleted. The players will now count up their points at this point in the game. The following is a restatement of the values: 

  • Each king, queen, and jack is worth ten points in their own right.
  • Cards with numbers on them are worth the points that correspond to those numbers; for example, an 8 is worth 8 points, a 5 is for 5 points, and so on.
  • Each Ace is worth one point in this game.

During a player’s turn, they must announce “Tong-it” if they can use all the cards. This can occur if they are the first player to meld, lay off, or get rid of their cards. Declaring a Tong-it is only permitted when the player’s turn is already being played. Therefore, if another player can play all their cards before the end of your turn, that player has won the game, and you have lost. 

In addition, players can call a draw to stop the game early. In an ideal scenario, you should perform this action if you have the fewest total points. Remember that cards that have been melded do not count against you. The count will only consider cards that are not attached to anything. For instance, you have seven cards, three of which form a set of three queens, three of which include a set composed of six, seven, and eight, and one of which is a loose ace. Your total is one point. 

FAQs

Tongits is a popular card game developed by Lodigame. It’s a game of skill and strategy played with a standard deck of 52 cards, and it has gained a reputation for being both exciting and addictive.

3-4 players typically play tongits. The goal is to form sets and runs with the cards in your hand. Players draw and discard cards, aiming to be the first to declare a winning hand.

The excitement in Tongits comes from the combination of skill, strategy, and luck. Players must make strategic decisions on which cards to discard and when to declare a winning hand, adding a dynamic and engaging element to the game.

The duration of a Tongits game can vary depending on the skill level of the players and the specific rules being followed. On average, a game can last anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour.

Many online Tongits platforms, including Lodigame, feature a ranking system. Players earn or lose points based on their game performance, allowing for a competitive environment where players can strive to improve their rankings.

Conclusion

Embark on a Tongits journey with players worldwide through Lodigame Live Casino. Join the community, engage in friendly matches, and showcase your skills against a diverse player base. Lodigame ensures a fair and secure gaming environment, promising an enjoyable Tongits experience for all players.