How to Play Dhumbal

Dhumbal (ढुम्बल), also called Jhyap, is a quick rummy-style game for two to five players. The aim is the opposite of most games: get the lowest hand, then call a show.

Card values

Playing a round

Each player is dealt a few cards, usually five, from one deck. On your turn, throw away a single card, a pair or more of the same rank, or a run of three or more in one suit, then pick up a card from the deck or the last throw. Throwing high cards and sets brings your hand down.

Calling a show

When your hand is low enough (many tables say 5 points or less), call a show instead of throwing. Everyone lays down their cards and adds them up.

• You have the lowest hand: you score 0. Everyone else adds their hand to their total.
• Someone ties or beats you: you add your hand plus a penalty, often 25. The lowest hand scores 0, and the rest add their hands.

Knockouts and winning

Totals carry over from round to round. A player whose total goes over the limit, often 200, is out. The last player left wins.

For example, Asha calls with 5, but Bikash has 2 and Chandra 9. Asha is caught: she adds 5 + 25 = 30, Bikash adds 0, Chandra adds 9. The penalty, the limit and the most you can call with all vary by table, so agree before you deal.

Let the app do the sums

The Dhumbal score keeper is free and works on any phone. Set the penalty and the limit, then each round tap who called the show and type every hand: it keeps the totals, shows who is out and who is leading, in English or Nepali, and works offline.