Tonk (card game)

Tonk is a fast-paced American matching card game that blends elements of knock rummy and conquian, played with a standard fifty-two card deck plus two wild jokers by two to four players, with a typical hand lasting only five to fifteen minutes. It became popular among blues and jazz musicians in southern Louisiana during the 1930s, reportedly including members of Duke Ellington's touring orchestra, though the exact year of its invention is not recorded. Each player is dealt five, seven or nine cards depending on how many are playing, and the aim is to arrange them into spreads of three or four matching cards, or three or more consecutive cards of the same suit, while also being allowed to add cards onto one's own or an opponent's existing spreads. A player who empties their hand first calls tonk and wins outright, collecting double stakes from every other player, while otherwise the player holding the fewest points when play stops is the winner; games are typically played for a wagered stake agreed before the hand begins.