How to Play Tongits Go Online Philippines

Now, you can play tongits on gaming platforms known as Tongits Go Online. It follows most of the rules with added gamification. It creates a new take on the card game while testing your luck. Local players get a sense of familiarity and understanding of its appeal. While some games follow strict rules, some are more lax. Furthermore, the rewards vary depending on the game.

Here’s how you can play Tongits Go Online!

What is Tongits Go?

Tongits Go is an online card game based on local tongits. While the game is single-player, you play against two players, forming three players in a game. You can access Tongits Go when you download the official app. It is compatible with Android, iOS, and Windows devices. If you prefer web browsing, it is available on many licensed gaming platforms like Bet88.

How To Play Tongits

The original tongits game came to the Philippines when veteran American soldiers visited the country. It got its inspiration from the matching card game Tonk. It is a rummy card game using the 52-card deck, but the Joker card is rarely used. In the original game, it is a three-player game.

The odd number of players allows each player to add or subtract players from the game. It starts by giving 12 cards to non-dealing players. On the other hand, the dealer gets 13 cards. The dealer also has access to the highest-ranked card. If there is a tie, there will be a second roll or another card drawn.

Once the dealer decides, they will distribute the cards as described above. Like any rummy game, the remaining cards will be at the center of the table. These cards are the “stock.” The dealer will draw one from the stock if more cards are needed.

The game starts when the dealer discards one of their 13 cards into a discard pile. After their turn, the dealer cannot meld or discard. By this point, players get their turns counterclockwise.

Card Points

At the end of each game, there is a point tally. Each card has an assigned value, and the cards in your hand will add up. For example, King, Queen, Jack, and 10 have ten points. Ace cards have a value of 1. All other cards retain their points at face value.

• Tongits Rules
  As with any card game, tongits have strict rules. If you are a first-time player, you should follow them to avoid bans. Here are the rules in tongits.
• Card Distribution
  In every player’s turn, a card should be drawn, and another card should be discarded. It keeps going until a player ends the game without discarding during their turn.
• Ace Cards
  While ace cards have one point, they are the cards used in melding. It can be high or low, depending on the players’ strategy. As a result, ace cards are versatile cards in every tongits game.
• Avoid Declaring Draw
  At the start of the game, avoid declaring a draw when you haven’t played any melds or sets. It is a rude approach for any player, even in unofficial matches. You can only draw when it is your turn.
• Melding
  You can meld as many times as possible if it is your turn. However, you cannot meld during other players’ turns.
• The Dealer’s Role
  The dealer will be the one starting the game. They can also participate in tongits as a player.
• Card Combinations
  There are four ways to combine your cards in tongits. Melds, also known as “Bahay,” are your card combinations. It can provide you with an edge against other players. However, some cards have specific requirements to work. These include:

   

  • The Three of a Kind
    These are three cards of the same rank. For example, you can have three cards of 7s or have all Kings.
  • Four of a Kind
    Like Three of a Kind, Four of a Kind adds another card as long as they are in the same rank or a copy of the card. For example, you can use all Ace cards in each suit, which includes hearts, spades, clubs, and diamonds.
  • Sagasa
    This is a variation of the Four of a Kind combination. However, the player must meld the Three of a Kind and set the fourth card to use it. Otherwise, it will not be a Sagasa, but a set at the end of a meld.
  • The Straight Flush
    The straight flush is a sequence of cards following the same suit; It follows a similar combination used in poker. For example, you can use the Ace, 2, 3, 4, and 5 cards with a heart suit. As long as the suit matches, it counts as a flush.

Strategies To Win Tongits

Try to use any of the strategies below.

• Run out of cards
  Sometimes, a deck can run out of cards. If no player has won by Tongits or “draw,” the winner results from having the least amount of points.
• Use a Four of a Kind
  This card combination is a good way to use a secret card. It will bait them into declaring “draw,” and you can play those cards before the tally.
• Win by “draw”
  Winning by “draw” is a risky strategy. If a player has fewer points in their hands compared to the opponents, the opponents can call a “draw.” When this happens, the player with the least number of points wins.

What is “Burned” in Tongits?

If a player gets “burned,” they cannot draw or win in the tally count at the end of the stack. The “burn” happens when a player fails to place a meld and has no backups when their turn ends.

How To Finish A Tongits Game

Stock-out
Through a stock-out, all cards in the stock have been drawn. The last player to draw will not be able to meld or set on that turn. If this occurs, the game ends.

Tung-it
This happens when a player’s hand is completely empty and declares “Tung-it” after placing their last card. It gives the player an automatic victory, and their point value for the tally will be 0.

Double Hit
Double Hit follows how a Mahjong game did it. If a player melds at the start of the game and sets their 12-card set without drawing or discarding, it counts as a Double Hit. The player will win, and any wager that might be owed to that player is paid for immediately.

Draw
Despite its name, it does not necessarily mean the game will draw. A player with the lowest value of cards may declare a draw to end the game. However, you cannot draw at the start, as it is rude for all players. If a player declares a draw, other players may either concede by folding or challenge if they have higher card totals.

The winner gets decided when a player has the lowest point total. However, players cannot draw unless they have played at least one meld or hold a secret card. If they hold on to it, the player can challenge the draw.

On the other hand, a “burned” player cannot challenge the draw since they have no melds. They cannot win even in a stock-out, despite having the lowest tally point total. Therefore, players must avoid getting the “burn” status when playing tongits.