Rummy
Cards Used
Rummy is played with a standard 52-card deck and is usually best for 2 to 6 players. Some versions include jokers, which act as wild cards and can substitute for any card in a set or run.
Aim of the Game
The aim of Rummy is to be the first player to get rid of all your cards by forming valid combinations called melds, which are either sets (same rank) or runs (consecutive cards of the same suit).
Point Scoring
Scoring in Rummy depends on the version being played, but typically: number cards are worth their face value, face cards (Jack, Queen, King) are worth 10 points, and Aces are usually worth 1 point (or 11 in some versions). At the end of a round, players add up the value of the cards left in their hand (called “deadwood”). The winner scores zero, and other players score penalty points based on their remaining cards. The game is often played over several rounds, and the player with the lowest total score wins.
How to Deal
Each player is dealt a set number of cards (commonly 7 or 10, depending on the version). The remaining cards are placed face down in a draw pile, and the top card is placed face up to start the discard pile.
Gameplay
- 1
On each turn, a player:
- (a)
Draws a card from either the draw pile or the discard pile.
- (b)
Tries to form or add to melds (sets or runs) in their hand.
- (c)
Discards one card to end their turn.
- (a)
- 2
Players continue taking turns, building melds and reducing the number of ungrouped cards in their hand. The round ends when a player successfully gets rid of all their cards by “going out.”
- 3
Other players then reveal their hands and calculate penalty points based on their remaining cards. The game continues for multiple rounds until a player reaches a target score or the agreed number of rounds is completed.
Need a deck? Pick up a Cardvenir pack and see the city while you play.