The dealer passes each player five cards, one at a time, starting to their left. The deal passes to the left so new players must sit to the dealers right. To determine a dealer, each player receives one card, player with the highest card acts as dealer. Sometimes winners can win double the stake, this is called a tonk. Before beginning, players agree upon the foundational stake- this is the amount paid to the winner by each player. It is supposed to be a descendant of a Filipino card game “Tong-Its.” It was a popular card game among jazz players in the 1930s and 40s. Tonk, or Tunk as it is sometimes referred, is a knock rummy and conquian game from the United States. OBJECTIVE OF TONK: Play all cards in hand or have the lowest value non-pair in hand at the end of the game in order to win the stake.
