How to play Dhumbal (Jhyap)

धुम्बल

Dhumbal (धुम्बल) is the quick Nepali card game of low hands. It is called Jhyap in the west of Nepal, Dhumbal in the middle and Dhungri or Dhungro in the east. Throw your high cards away, keep your hand total small, and Show when you think you are lowest. Get it wrong and you are Dhumbaled.

Play Dhumbal free on Khelau against bots, online with other players, or in a private room where the host sets the rules.

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Quick facts

Players: 2 to 5
Cards: One 52-card deck, 5 cards each (or 7 or 9)
Card values: Ace 1, 2 to 10 face value, J Q K 10 each
Show: When your hand totals 5 or less
Out: At 40 points
Ways to play: Bots, online, private room

A turn

Each player gets 5 cards and one card is turned face up. The player on the dealer’s left starts, and the deal moves round each round. On your turn:

Throw a single card, a set (2 to 4 cards of one rank) or a run (3 or more cards in a row of one suit). The ace is low: A-2-3 is a run, Q-K-A is not.
Then pick up one card: the top card of the deck, or any one card the previous player threw, even the middle card of a run.

When the deck runs out, the old throws are shuffled back into it.

Showing

At the start of your turn, instead of throwing, you may Show if your hand totals 5 or less. Everyone reveals their hand.

If nobody has a lower total than you, you score 0. A tie goes to the player who showed.
If anyone is lower, you are Dhumbaled: you add your hand total plus a 20-point penalty, the lowest hand scores 0, and everyone else adds their own hand total.

Winning

Points are bad. A player whose total reaches 40 or more is out, but stays at the table to watch. The last player left wins.

Tips

Throw kings, queens and jacks early: each one is 10 points in your hand.
Sets and runs get rid of several cards at once, so keep pairs and near-runs together.
Watch what the others pick up: someone collecting low cards may be about to Show.
Show only when you are fairly sure. Being Dhumbaled costs your hand plus 20.

Ways to play on Khelau

Start Game: play bots right in your browser.
Find a game: play online with other people; bots fill the empty seats after a minute.
Create a room: a private room for friends, joined with a 5-letter code. The host sets the rules: 5, 7 or 9 cards each, a show limit from 3 to 30, an out score from 20 to 200, 2 to 5 players, and face cards worth 10 or 11, 12 and 13.

धुम्बल कसरी खेल्ने

धुम्बल नेपालमा लोकप्रिय तास खेल हो: पश्चिममा झ्याप, मध्यमा धुम्बल, र पूर्वमा ढुङ्ग्री वा ढुङ्ग्रो भनिन्छ।

आफ्नो पालोमा एउटा पत्ता, जोडी वा रन फाल्नुहोस्, अनि डेकबाट वा अघिल्लो खेलाडीले फालेकामध्ये एउटा पत्ता उठाउनुहोस्। हातको जोड ५ वा कम भए शो गर्न सकिन्छ। शो गर्दा अरू कसैको जोड कम भए तपाईं धुम्बल हुनुहुन्छ र २० अंक थप लाग्छ।

Questions

Is Dhumbal the same as Jhyap?

Yes. The same game is called Jhyap in the west of Nepal, Dhumbal in the middle and Dhungri or Dhungro in the east.

When can you Show in Dhumbal?

At the start of your turn, when your hand totals 5 or less. In a private room the host can set the limit anywhere from 3 to 30.

What happens if you are Dhumbaled?

You add your hand total plus 20 points, the lowest hand scores 0, and everyone else adds their own total.

Can you pick up any card from the previous throw?

Yes. On Khelau you can take any one card of the previous player’s throw, even the middle card of a run.

Can I play Dhumbal with friends?

Yes. Create a room, choose the rules and share the 5-letter code.

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