Hand — the rules of the rummy classic
Hand (هاند) is Jawaker’s draw-meld-discard rummy over two decks and the two jokers: build sets and runs, chase the 51-point first drop, and keep your penalty total low across five rounds. This guide is the full rulebook — the fire pile, joker retrieval, the Hand finish and the exact scoring table.
Play Hand on TonjWhat is the Hand game?
Hand is the rummy of the Levant and the Gulf: every player builds melds — same-rank sets and same-suit runs — while racing to empty their hand. It is the plain game: no special Concan hand, no round-5 chase. Just rummy, the fire pile and the lowest total.
Hand on Tonj — live
Hand runs on Tonj’s own engine: tables of two to four (the host picks at create), bots that fill empty chairs, provably-fair deals, and spectating on any live table. The web page you are reading is the game’s home — play now below.
How a match goes
Draw, meld, discard
Take the stock’s top card or the fire pile’s top, lay down sets and runs (jokers wild), then end the turn with one card to the fire pile. Taking from the fire pile forces a meld this turn.
Open with 51
Your first lay-down must total at least 51 points and contain a run — after it, melding and building on anyone’s melds are open.
Five rounds, lowest total
A round ends the moment a hand empties. Penalties settle, the deal passes on, and after five rounds the lowest total wins.
Hand rules in detail
The setup
Two to four players, no partnerships. Two 52-card decks plus the two jokers — 106 cards. Every hand takes 14 cards, the dealer’s right neighbour 15, and that player opens the round with one card to the fire pile.
The fire pile (كومة النار)
The shared discard, always topped by the card everyone plays against. Draw from the stock or take the fire’s top — but a fire take obliges you to lay down at least one meld before you discard. The round dies quiet when the stock runs dry with nobody out.
The 51-point first drop
A first lay-down must total at least 51 points by the pip table and contain at least one run — the signature. Until it is made, the seat may not meld, build or go out.
Jokers and retrieval
A joker substitutes any missing card in a meld. If a table joker stands where your real card belongs, you may place your card in its stead and take the joker back into your hand — in a set it can be reclaimed only by supplying both missing naturals.
The Hand finish
A never-melded seat that drops its whole hand in one turn finishes Hand-style — the whole round’s settlement doubles. The round also settles plain: empty a hand, pay the leftovers.
Hand scoring at a glance
| Going out first | −30 to the seat that empties its hand |
|---|---|
| Never melded | +100 penalty when the round settles |
| Remaining cards | A 11 · joker 15 · J/Q/K 10 · pips face value |
| The Hand finish | Every round score doubles — out −60, never-melded +200 |
| The match | Five rounds; the lowest accumulated total wins, a tie is a draw |
Penalties only — lower is better every round. A dry stock ends the round dead with no out bonus; the deal moves one seat and the totals carry.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Hand card game?
Hand (هاند) is the Arabic rummy played over two decks and two jokers: draw, meld sets and runs, discard to the fire pile, and keep your penalty total the lowest after five rounds. It is the plain-rummy cousin of Concan.
Can I play Hand online for free?
Yes — Hand runs free on Tonj in the browser, Arabic and English, with public tables, pool play and spectating. Open the game page and press Play now.
What is the 51-point first drop?
The gate on your first lay-down: the melds you put down at once must total at least 51 points (aces 11, faces 10, pips face value) and include a run. After the drop, melding and building are free.
How does joker retrieval work in Hand?
When a meld on the table holds a joker standing in for a card you hold, you swap your real card in and take the joker to your hand. If it stands for one of two equal-rank naturals in a set, both must be supplied to reclaim it.
What is the difference between Hand and Conkan?
Conkan adds the special Concan hand and the round-5 Concan chase with its instant win; Hand plays without them — plain rummy to the lowest total. The fire pile, the 51 first drop and the scoring table are the same.