Tongits Lite: A Compact Three-Player Knock Rummy Game

Tongits Lite is a simplified version of the popular three-player knock rummy game known as Tongits. Designed to use minimal space on your phone, this app offers an engaging and compact gaming experience. Tongits has gained significant popularity in the northern Philippines in recent years.

Players and Cards

Tongits is played with three players using a single standard deck of 52 Anglo-American playing cards, excluding jokers. Each suit contains cards ranked from Ace to King. Points are assigned as follows: Aces are worth 1 point, while Jacks, Queens, and Kings are worth 10 points each. All other cards have their face values as their points.

Objective

The primary objective of the game is to draw and discard cards strategically to form sets and runs while minimizing the total count of unmatched cards in your hand. A run consists of three or more consecutive cards of the same suit (e.g., ♥4, ♥5, ♥6), while a set comprises three or four cards of the same rank (e.g., ♥7, ♣7, ♦7). Note that A-K-Q of a suit does not form a run, as Aces are considered low in this game.

The Deal

In each round, the dealer is chosen randomly or based on the winner of the previous hand. The dealer distributes 13 cards to themselves and 12 cards to each of the other two players. The remaining cards form the stock, which is placed face down.

The Play

Each turn involves the following steps:

1. Draw: Begin by drawing a card from either the stock or the discard pile. You can only take a card from the discard pile if you can immediately form a meld (set or run) with it.

2. Expose Melds: Optionally, you can expose any melds you have formed on the table. If you draw from the stock, exposing a meld is not mandatory. However, you must lay at least one meld to open your hand. In a special case where you can form a set of four without drawing from the discard pile, you can place the set face down to "open" your hand secretly.

3. Lay Off (Sapaw): This step is optional. You can add cards to existing melds on the table. Laying off a card on another player’s meld prevents them from calling Draw on their next turn.

4. Discard: At the end of your turn, discard one card from your hand onto the discard pile.

Contact Us

If you encounter any issues or have feedback for improving Tongits Lite, please reach out to us via email at support@emperoracestudios.com. We appreciate your input and strive to enhance your gaming experience.

Enjoy the compact and thrilling gameplay of Tongits Lite!