Tunk at S&P

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Tunk at S&P

Tunk, also known as tonk, is a derivative of knock rummy. These are the rules used for play at Spades and Pawns events.

At S&P game nights, tunk will be played with two or three players. At S&P tournaments, tunk will be played with two players. A standard 52 card deck is used. The picture cards (K, Q, J) count 10 points, aces count 1 point, and other cards count face value.

The Deal

Five cards are dealt to each player, clockwise, one at a time. The next card is placed face up on the table to start the discard pile, and the remaining undealt cards are placed face down in a stack beside the discard pile to form the stock.

No premium will be awarded for players dealt a hand of 49 or 50 points.

The Play

If no one tunks, the play begins. The aim is, by drawing and discarding, to form your cards into spreads, which can be books of 3 or 4 equal ranked cards or runs of 3 or more cards in suit, or to dispose of your cards by adding them to existing spreads. You win if you manage to get rid of all of your cards, or if you have the lowest value of unmatched cards when someone stops the play.

In a three-player game, the person to the left of the dealer plays first and the turn to play passes clockwise. In a two-player game, the person who does not deal plays first. At your turn, you have two options.

If you wish, you can end the play at the start of your turn by placing all your cards face up on the table. This is called dropping (or sometimes knocking). By doing this you are claiming to have a lower point count total in your hand than any other player.
If you choose not to drop, you must either draw ("pluck") the top card from the face down stock, or take the top card of the discard pile into your hand. You may then be able to reduce your hand by putting a spread face up on the table, or by adding to a spread already on the table. You end your turn by discarding a card face up on top of the discard pile.

If after drawing from the stock or discard pile you have a spread of three or more cards, you may place them face up on the table. These cards then no longer count towards the total in your hand. There are two types of spread:

A book consists of three or four cards of the same rank, such as Q-Q-Q or 4-4-4-4.
A run consists of three or more consecutive cards of the same suit, such as A-2-3 or 8-9-10-J. The ace counts as low, next to the two not the king.

Another possibility to reduce the cards in your hand is to extend a spread previously put down by yourself or another player. Putting down a card to extend a spread is sometimes called hitting. For example if there is 5-6-7 on the table and you have 4 or 8 in your hand you can put it on the table, adding it to the run. Cards can only be put down like this in your own turn, after drawing and before discarding.

If by putting down cards, you get rid of all the cards in your hand (by making a second spread or using all your cards to hit existing spreads), the play ends and you win the hand. Otherwise, you complete your turn by discarding one card face up on top of the discard pile. If this leaves you with no cards you win; otherwise the turn passes to the next player to your left and play continues.

End of the play

The play can end in four ways.

Someone gets rid of all their cards without a final discard

This may happen as a result of a player putting down a second spread or hitting existing spreads on three occasions. This is usually called a tunk, and the winner is twice the points remaining in the other players' hands.

Someone runs out of cards by discarding their last card

The player with no cards wins and is awarded the points remaining in the other players' hands.

Someone drops or goes down or knocks at the start of their turn.

In this case everyone exposes the cards that remain in their hands and adds up the values of the cards they held.

If the player who dropped has the lowest point count, that player wins the difference between the points that remain in his/her hand and the points remaining in the other players' hands.
If the player who dropped does not have the lowest count, the player who actually had the lowest count receives twice the difference between the points in his/her hand and the points in the remaining players' hands. In the case of a tie for lowest counts, those players evenly divide the points remaining in the other players' hands.

The stock runs out.

The player with the lowest count receives the difference between the points in his/her hand and the points remaining in the other players' hands.

Rules adapted from Card Games website at www.pagat.com.