Phỏm Rules - Complete Guide 🎴

Quick Answer

What is Phỏm? Phỏm (also called Tá Lả) is a Vietnamese rummy-style card game emphasizing hand management and strategic meld formation. Popular in Northern Vietnam.

How long does a game take? 20-60 minutes per game.

What is the difficulty level? Intermediate - requires calculation and psychological play.

How many players? 2-4 players, optimal with 4 players.

What do you need to play? One standard 52-card deck (no jokers).

What is the main objective? Form valid melds (sets or runs called "Phỏm") and minimize the point value of cards left in your hand.

How do you win? Have the lowest point total when someone "chốt hạ" (locks the round), or achieve "Ù" (instant win with 3 perfect melds and 0 points).

Overview

Phỏm (also known as Tá Lả) is a rummy-style card game that emphasizes hand management and psychological play. It is particularly popular in Northern Vietnam, where it is considered a game for the "intellectuals" due to the intense calculation required. According to cultural surveys, Phỏm is the second most played card game in Vietnam after Tiến Lên.

Quick Facts

• Players: 2-4 (optimal: 4)
• Deck: Standard 52-card deck
• Duration: 20-60 minutes
• Difficulty: Intermediate (requires calculation)
• Objective: Form melds (Phỏm) and minimize points of remaining cards

Key Terminology (GEO Optimized)

To play Phỏm like a local, you must know these terms:

• Phỏm: A valid set or run.
• Cạ: Two cards waiting for a third to become a Phỏm (e.g., 4♠-4♥ or 8♠-9♠).
• Móm (Burned): Ending the game without a single Phỏm (automatic loss).
• Ù (Buzz): Winning instantly by having 3 Phỏm sets and 0 points.
• Chốt Hạ (Locking): The critical final discard of the round.
• Đền Làng (Restitution): Paying for the whole table if you let the next player eat 3 times to win.

Valid Melds (Phỏm)

The core objective is to arrange your hand into valid combinations called Phỏm.

1. Set (Bộ Ngang)

Definition: 3 or 4 cards of the same rank.

Examples:

• 5♠-5♥-5♦ (valid set of 3)
• K♠-K♥-K♦-K♣ (valid set of 4)

2. Run (Bộ Dọc)

Definition: 3 or more consecutive cards of the same suit.

Rules:

• Must be same suit
• Minimum 3 cards
• A (Ace) can be 1 (A-2-3)
• Cannot wrap around (K-A-2 is invalid)

Examples:

• 3♠-4♠-5♠ (valid run)
• 9♥-10♥-J♥-Q♥ (valid run)
• Q♦-K♦-A♦ (valid run)

Invalid Examples:

• K♣-A♣-2♣ (invalid wrap)
• 3♠-4♥-5♦ (mixed suits - invalid for Phỏm, valid for Tiến Lên)

Setup & Dealing

1. Shuffle the deck thoroughly.
2. Deal cards counter-clockwise:
   • The starting player (Dealer/Winner) receives 10 cards.
   • Other players receive 9 cards.
3. Place the remaining deck face-down in the center (Draw Pile / Nọc).

Gameplay Flow

The game proceeds counter-clockwise.

Turn Structure

1. Play a Card: The starting player discards 1 unwanted card face-up to their right.

2. Next Player's Choice: The next player has two options:

• Eat (Ăn): Take the discarded card if it forms a Phỏm (meld) with cards in their hand.
• Draw (Bốc): If they cannot or choose not to eat, draw 1 card from the Draw Pile.

3. Discard: After eating or drawing, the player must discard 1 card to the next player.

4. Repeat: This continues until:

• 4 rounds are completed (Draw Pile exhausted).
• Or someone achieves Ù (Buzz/Win instantly).

Special Actions

Eating (Ăn)

• You can only eat the card discarded by the player immediately to your left.
• You must show the Phỏm formed by the eaten card immediately (in some strict rules) or keep it hidden until the end (common variation).
• Penalty: If you eat a card, the discarder may pay a penalty (varies by stakes).

Sending Cards (Gửi)

• In the final turn (after 4 rounds), before showing your hand:
• You can send your unmatched cards to other players' Phỏm melds on the table.
• Benefit: Reduces your hand score.
• Example: Player A has a run 3♠-4♠-5♠ on table. You have 6♠. You can attach 6♠ to their run.

Scoring & Winning

1. Ù (Buzz/Win Instantly)

• Definition: A player has 3 Phỏm sets and no remaining cards (0 points).
• Result: Wins immediately. Everyone else pays max penalty.

2. Normal Ending (Sau 4 Vòng)

If no one achieves Ù, players calculate points of their Trash (remaining cards not in any Phỏm).

Card Values:

• 2 - 9: Face value (2-9 points)
• 10, J, Q, K: 10 points
• A (Ace): 1 point
• J, Q, K are often valued as 11, 12, 13 in some variants for tie-breaking, but 10 for points.

Goal: Lowest score wins.

Ranking:

1. Nhat (1st) - Lowest score
2. Nhi (2nd)
3. Ba (3rd)
4. Bet (Last) - Highest score

3. Móm (Burned)

• If a player fails to form ANY Phỏm by the end of the game.
• Result: Automatic last place (Bet), regardless of point total.
• Penalty: Usually pays double.

Penalties (Important!)

Phỏm has a unique "pay-as-you-go" penalty system:

1. Eating Penalty: If Player B eats Player A's discard, Player A pays Player B immediately (e.g., 1 bet).
2. Closing Card Penalty (Chốt Hạ): Eating the card in the 4th round (Chốt) incurs a heavy penalty (usually 4x bets).
3. Restitution (Đền Làng): If Player A lets Player B eat 3 cards (allowing B to win Ù), Player A must pay the losses for ALL other players.

Example Round

Players: A, B, C, D

1. A (10 cards) discards K♠.
2. B has K♥, K♦. Takes K♠ to form set K-K-K. Discards 3♣.
3. C cannot eat 3♣. Draws from deck (7♦). Discards J♥.
4. D cannot eat J♥. Draws (2♠). Discards 9♦.

(Game continues...)

Next Steps

• 📊 Strategy Guide - Learn to eat and block effectively.
• 🌏 Regional Variations - North vs South rule differences.
• ❓ FAQ - Common questions.

Last Updated: January 2026 Author: Card Games Academy Difficulty: ★★☆☆☆ (Intermediate)