What is a Phom?

Phỏm is a popular traditional Vietnamese card game. It is played with a standard deck of 52 cards and can be enjoyed by 2 to 4 players. The objective of Phỏm is to form sets and runs of cards in order to get rid of all the cards in your hand before your opponents.

What is "Phỏm"?

According to Wikipedia, "Phỏm" (also known as "ù" or "tá lả") is a Vietnamese card game that is played with a deck of Tú Lơ Khơ cards, typically by 2-4 players.

Phỏm is said to have originated in Xuân Thụ village, Từ Sơn, Bắc Ninh at the end of the 20th century. Legend has it that the game was invented by villagers while waiting to catch shrimp, and that a servant from Ba Vì learned the game and spread it throughout the Kinh Bac region. "Phỏm" is a common name for the game in northern Vietnam, while in the south it is more commonly called "tá lả."

Therefore, Phỏm can be understood as a traditional Vietnamese card game that has been played for a long time and originated in Từ Sơn, Bắc Ninh. Nowadays, the game of Phỏm has appeared on many online wagering website to meet the gaming demands of people.

"Phỏm" (also known as "ù" or "tá lả") is a Vietnamese card game

How to play Phỏm

Basic terms in playing Phỏm:

A standard deck of 52 playing cards is divided into number and suit. The number consists of Ace, 1 to King. The suit consists of Clubs, Diamonds, Hearts, and Spades.

• Cạ: A pair of 2 cards combined with one half to create a Phỏm. It can be the same number or the same value. If they have the same suit, they can be consecutive or in the same order. For example: the horizontal pair is 8 (Diamonds) and 8 (Spades), and the vertical pair is 7 (Clubs) and 8 (Clubs).
• Phỏm: At least 3 cards of the same suit in consecutive order or 3 cards of the same number. For example: the horizontal Phỏm is 8 (Clubs) 8 (Diamonds) 8 (Hearts) and the vertical Phỏm is 10 (Hearts) J (Hearts) Q (Hearts).
• Ăn: The condition for eating a card played by the opponent is to have a pair combined with that card to form a Phỏm. However, this pair is not yet in another Phỏm.
• Xoay Phỏm: Use 2 pairs to be able to eat 1 card.
• Nọc: Cards face down on the table for everyone to draw.
• Score: The total score of cards in hand.
• Vòng chốt: Starting from the player who draws the Nọc correctly with N cards (N is the number of players).
• Vòng hạ: Players draw cards from the Nọc (N - 1) and (N is the number of players).
• Cháy, móm: Cards that do not have any Phỏm.
• Rác: A single card that does not pair with any Cạ or Phỏm.
• Ù: A player has 3 Phỏm in hand.
• Đền: The player plays a card and all three cards played are eaten by the opponent next to them.
• Ù khan: A player has no pairs or Phỏm in hand.
• Gửi: When laying down Phỏm, the player selects a card from the Rác pile to send to the player with the Phỏm linked to your Rác card.

A standard deck of 52 playing cards is divided into number and suit

Phỏm rules:

Each game must have at least 2 players. Each player will be dealt 9 cards, and the dealer (or the winner) will receive 10 cards. The game round will follow a counterclockwise order, starting from the player holding 10 cards.

After receiving enough cards, each player will arrange them to form sets (sets consist of 2 or more cards with the same value or 2 or more consecutive cards of the same suit), for example, a pair of 4 and 5 (spades) and 7 (spades), or Phỏm (Phỏm is a set of 3 or more cards with the same value or 3 or more consecutive cards of the same suit, such as three 3s, 4 (diamonds), 5 (diamonds), 6 (diamonds), 7 (diamonds)). The more sets and Phỏm a player has, the higher their chances of winning at the bookmaker.

The player with 10 cards will play first, discarding one card onto the table. The player to their right can claim the discarded card if they can form a set or Phỏm with it, and then play a card onto the table. If they cannot claim it, they must draw a card from the draw pile and then discard a card.

If a player goes ù (wins by discarding their last card) or after 4 rounds of play, the game will end. The winner will be the player with no cards left in their hand (i.e., went ù) or the player with the lowest total score.

Conclusion

Phỏm is a well-known card game in Vietnam that is played with a standard deck of cards and involves forming sets and runs to eliminate all the cards in one's hand. It is a fun and challenging game that can be enjoyed by a small group of friends or family members.

Further reference: About the hem and how to play.