Tonk, or tunk,[1][2] is a matching card game, which combines features of knock rummy and conquian.
It was popular with blues and jazz musicians in southern Louisiana in the 1930s, including Duke Ellington's orchestra, and was played during breaks in the back rooms of bars and saloons.
[4] It has been played in military barracks to the battlefield and In many other places it has become a popular pastime for workers while on their lunch breaks.
Tonk is usually played for money wagered (with a stake agreed on before each game starts).
In some variations, the dealer does not turn up the first card; the discard pile is started after the first player draws.
The remaining un-dealt cards are set face down in a stack next to the discard pile.
Depending on the variation, a player may drop at any point in the game, including right after the cards are dealt, or only before drawing.
Multiple hits result in additional loss of lay downs for turns thereafter.
Once a player's set has been hit and the four cards of that rank are melded, they can be thrown into the discard pile.
Some house rules include a provision that a player wins the game automatically if they are dealt a hand count of 49 or 50.
Some house rules include a provision that a player wins the game automatically if dealt a hand count of 13 or under, and is paid double.
Another house rule states players may add a card from their hand only to tabled runs, not on three of a kind.
This rule is attributed to John P. Speno, inspired by writer Glen Cook's The Black Company.