The rules of Rummy

1) The process of the game

The game takes place with 2 packs of 52 cards and 4 jokers. A card is dealt to each player to determine the dealer. The smaller card determines the dealer. The cards are then dealt clockwise.

Each player receives 13 cards, the rest are set aside, face down in a pile. The players, on their turn, make take a card from the pile and discard a card to a discard pile. If all the cards of the pile have been used before the end of the deal, the discarded cards and shuffled and placed into a pile.

The player can lay down all their card or some of them. These cards are placed face up on the table. With this, the players can then progressively eliminate the cards from their hand, the objective being to get rid of all your cards.

Each turn is then made up of the following actions:

1. Taking a card from the pile or from the discard pile.
2. Placing or not placing cards on the table / adding cards to runs of three of a kind or sequences
3. Discarding a card.

2) Combinations

To play your cards, you must have one of the following combinations:

A three/four of a kind: this is three or four identical card of different suits (no pairs) So, far example ♣Q- ♥Q- ♦Q and ♥9 - ♦9 - ♣9 - ♠9 are valid, but ♥4 - ♥4 - ♦4 ne l’ is not because the 4 of hearts is repeated.

A run is made up of three or more consecutive cards of the same suit. The order of the cards is as follows: A-K-Q-J-10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2
For example,  ♥Q- ♥K- ♥A and ♣8- ♣9- ♣10 - ♣V - ♣D are valid runs but ♦2 - ♦A- ♦K is not. On the other hand, an Ace can be used to make A23 or Queen, King, Ace.
When a player have six consecutive cards, he has the choice to play them as one run of 6 or two runs of 3 cards.

To play their cards, the player must have a minimum of 30 to 51 points according to the rules. If the player does not have these points, they cannot lay down these cards and must wait until the next turn.

3)Variations :

2 variants of Rummy are available on our site. Rummy 30 and Rummy 51.

In Rummy 30, the player must play their cards as soon as they have one or more combinations with a minimum value of 30 points. The player is not required to play runs and can lay down only a three/four of a kind unlike in Rummy 51.
Also, in Rummy 30, the player can also use a joker after their first combination in order to achieve the 30 points.

In Rummy 51, to be able to play cards, the player must necessarily have a minimum of 51 points and must also discard a card with a suit which must not be a joker.
They may play one or more 3/4 of a kind and runs with jokers but it must have a run such as  ♠Q- ♠K- ♠A or ♥8- ♥9- ♥10.

4)The addition of cards

Once cardsare played on the game table, you have the opportunity to add on cards from your hand in order to get rid of them. For this, the cards must add on to a run or 3/4 of a kind that has already been played.

For example, if you have the  ♠10, you may add this to the rune ♠7-♠8-♠9 à spades or also to the combination ♣10 ♥10 ♦10 
However, you cannot add more that two cards to a run in one turn. If you wish to add three cards or more consecutively, you must play them alone in order to make a new run.

5) The Jokers

The game includes 4 Jokers. They can be used in any run, or 3/4 of a kind.
If you use a Joker at the end of a run such as ♠4 - ♠5-joker, you set the value of the joker (here, the 6 of spades). This value cannot be changed during the course of the game.

2 Jokers cannot be used in a 3 of a kind or a run because it is impossible to define the value of the cards it is replacing.

A joker can be regained, if you have the card which the joker replaced. In the run ♠8 - Joker - ♠10, if you have the 9, you will be able to take the Joker and place it in your hand. In a three of kind, on the other hand, you must have the 2 missing cards to be able to seize the Joker.

For example, with avec ♥10 - ♣10-joker, a player who has the ♦10 and the ♠10 can retake the Joker

6) Counting the points:

Once a player has played all their cards, they win the round and it is finished. All the players with cards in their hands score penalty points. When a player reaches 50 points, he is eliminated and loses the game.

The penalty points are as follows:

From 2 to 10 : 2 to 10 points
Jack : 10
Queen : 10
King : 10
Ace : 11
Joker : 20

Declaring Rummy:
If a player plays all their 13 cards in one turn (without using cards played by the opponent), he has managed to get Rummy. In this case, the points of the opponent are doubled. However be careful, the combinations of cards must still be worth the minimum number of points according to the game (30 or 51)

7) Discards

If all the cards in the pile have been used, the cards in the discard pile are reshuffled and placed in a pile on the table. The last card discarded by a player remains visible, face up on the table.

Important: you must discard your last card of the game. To win a game, you end your turn by discarding your last card into the discard pile.

 

NB : please note that there is no universal rulebook for Rummy and that there are hundred of variations in the world. These rules ensure the maximum enjoyment of the player and respect the game of Rummy itself..