Rummy Rules

As enjoyable, fun and exciting as it most definitely is, playing Rummy could pose beginners and even some experienced folk some tricky questions and minor hiccups. This page seeks to iron out these issues and answer those FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions). As such, wouldn’t it be great as well to play Rummy following those time honoured traditions and rules that have been passed down? We do hope this page is useful to you. Let’s get started!

What is Rummy?

Rummy is one of the most popular games in the world! Played with playing cards, Rummy is a multi-player game, and can be played for cash or for fun. Simply put, Rummy involves the creation of Sequences and Sets from the cards you have been dealt (before your opponents, and as dictated by Rummy rules). This in essence is the aim of the game. It is an exciting and exhilarating game that will undoubtedly keep you coming back for more.

Rummy has been deemed a game of skill (and not a game of chance), by the Supreme Court of India, and is therefore playing Rummy is absolutely legal in India.

What is Indian Rummy?

Indian Rummy is a classic variant of Rummy that has gained great popularity and love in India. This game involves the creation of Sequences and Sets from the 13 cards you have been dealt (before your opponents, and as dictated by Rummy rules). In order to create Sequences and Sets, players will have to rely on the draw and discard method.

What is draw and discard?

All Rummy players must use the ‘draw and discard method’, and this is essentially the gameplay of the game. The ‘draw and discard method’ can be described as the method employed by all players in the game, where they draw or pick up a card from either the Closed or Open Deck, and then discard a card to the Open Deck. If the player draws a card, then the player must discard or drop a card (from their hand) into the Open Deck. This method is employed by players to form Sequences and Sets, which is the objective of the game, and ordering cards in this manner, and doing so faster than all your opponents will ensure that you are the winner.

What is the ‘table’ in a Rummy game?

The ‘table’ is essentially the table around which players sit to play the game. In an online game this is ‘virtualized’. However, in the online game the word table is still carried forward, and is used in phrases such as ‘XXX player has left the table’, and so forth.

What is ‘melding’ and a ‘show’ or Declaration?

The objective of the game is to create Sequences and Sets from the cards in the player’s hand (and using the draw and discard method). This process of ordering the cards into Sequences and Sets is referred to as melding.

A show or Declaration in Rummy is the act of displaying or declaring to your opponents that you have created the requisite number of Sequences and Sets. The player declaring has to immediately display their cards to all their opponents, and ask all their opponents to do likewise.

What is a deck of cards?

A complete pack of cards, or set of cards is known as a deck of cards consisting of 53 cards in total. Here 13 cards belong to each of the fours suits respectively, + 1 Printed Joker. A deck therefore contains 52 cards and 1 Printed Joker..

What is a round?

A round typically in Rummy is a ‘round of the game’, which begins when the cards are dealt, and ends when a player makes a Valid Declaration.

What does dealing mean?

Dealing refers to the act of handing out cards from the shuffled pack to individual players. In Indian Rummy, each player will receive 13 cards each, and the dealer will hand them out in a circular order.

What is a Joker?

A Joker is a card that can be used in place of another card to form Sequences and Sets in Rummy. Please note that a Pure Sequence cannot be made with a Joker. There are two kinds of Jokers in Rummy:

The Printed Joker: This is a card that has the image of a Joker printed on it, and has the word ‘Joker’ printed on it as well. This card is part of a usual deck of cards.
Wild Joker: This card is a card chosen at random from the Closed Deck, and is deemed to be the Wild Joker for the game. Do note that both Wild and Printed Jokers can be employed in exactly the same way in a Rummy game.

What is the role of a Joker?

A Joker can be used to form Sequences and Sets in place, or as a substitute of a card that a player does not have. Do note that both Wild and Printed Jokers can be used in the same way in Rummy. Please also be aware that a Pure Sequence cannot be formed with a Joker.

Here is how a Joker can be used to form Sequences and Sets:

Sequence with a Joker: 7♠ Joker 9♠ 10♠ (In this case, the Printed Joker is used instead of the 8♠)
Set with a Joker: 5♣ 5♥ 5♠ 6♠ (In this case, the Joker (6♠), or the selected Wild Joker is used instead of the 5♦)

What is a drop?

A ‘drop’ refers to a player dropping out of a game, or leaving a game once it has begun. Please be aware that a Drop will result in the player incurring penalty points. There are essentially two kinds of drops:

A First Drop
A Middle Drop

What is a First Drop?

A First Drop is the act of a player leaving a game before drawing the first card. The penalty points incurred for a First Drop depends on the variant of Rummy, and is as follows:

101 Pool Rummy – 20 points
201 Pool Rummy – 25 points
Strikes Rummy – 20 points
There is no option to drop out in Best of 2 and Best of 3 Rummy games

What is a Middle Drop?

A player dropping out of the game after a game has begun is referred to as a Middle Drop (anytime after the first card has been drawn). The penalty points incurred for a Middle Drop depends on the variant of Rummy, and is as follows:

101 Pool Rummy – 40 points
201 Pool Rummy – 50 points
Strikes Rummy – 40 points
There is no option to drop out in Best of 2 and Best of 3 Rummy games

What is a ‘Full Count’?

A Full Count is the highest possible score or penalty points a player can incur under any circumstances in one round of Rummy. For all variants of Rummy, the Full Count is fixed at a maximum of 80 points.

What is a Sequence?

A Sequence is the ordering of cards in a particular and prescribed order, and it is a part of a Show or Declaration. Following the strict rules of Indian Rummy, the Sequences you form should follow the following card order: Ace, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, Jack, Queen & King.

A Valid Sequence is considered to be a group of three or four cards in consecutive order (The order is clearly described above), and from the same suit.
In a Sequence, an Ace can be used as a face card or a ‘1’ card.
Both Printed and Wild Jokers can be used to form Impure Sequences, but not Pure Sequences
Examples of Valid Sequences:
- King♥ Queen♥ Jack♥ 10♥
- 4♠ 5♠ 6♠ 7♠
- Impure Sequence with a Joker: 4♠ Joker 6♠ 7♠ (In this case, the Printed Joker is used instead of the 5♠)
There are two kinds of Sequences
- Pure sequences: A Pure Sequence is a sequence which
Consists of not less than three cards
These cards should all be from the same suit, but the sequence should be formed without a joker
- Impure Sequences: A Sequence is deemed to be Impure if it:
Consists of not less than three cards
These cards should all be from the same suit, and the sequence can be formed with a joker or jokers

What is a Set?

A Set is a group of cards of different suits but with the same face value. Like Sequences, Sets are an integral part of a Show or Declaration, and must be formed in a particular order to be deemed Valid. This is what a Valid Set should be made of:

A set is comprised of three or four cards, of different suits, but where each of the cards bear the same number or face card.
Both Printed and Wild Jokers can be used to form Sets
- Examples of Valid Sets:
King♣ King♦ King♥
7♦ 7♥ 7♣ 7♠
Set with a Joker: 4♣ 4♥ 4♠ 6♠ (In this case, the Joker (6♠), or denoted Wild Joker is used instead of the 4♦)

What is a Show or Declaration?

A Declaration or a Show in Rummy is when a player shows his cards to the other players, and asks the other players to show their cards as well. A Valid Declaration will earn a player no penalty points, and therefore his or her score will be 0. By making a Declaration or Show, the player is indicating that they have formed the necessary Sequences and Sets, and have therefore won the game. To find out what a successful or Valid Declaration should consist of, read the answer to the following question.

What is a Valid Declaration or Show?

A Valid Declaration will earn a player no penalty points, and therefore his or her score will be 0. For a declaration to be valid, it should consist of two sequences, one of which must be a pure sequence, while the other cards can be arranged as sets.

Pure sequences: A Pure Sequence is a sequence which
- Consists of not less than three cards
- These cards should all be from the same suit, but the sequence should be formed without a joker
Impure Sequences: A Sequence is deemed to be Impure if it:
- Consists of not less than three cards
- These cards should all be from the same suit, and the sequence can be formed with a Joker or Jokers
Sets can include Printed and Wild Jokers, and should contain a minimum of three cards each
In case of an Invalid Show or a Wrong Show, a player will incur an 80 point penalty.

What is the Rejoin option?

The Rejoin option is an option that is available to players in the Pools variant of the game. Here, the player can rejoin the game even after being eliminated.

When can a player Rejoin a game?

In Pools Rummy, a player is presented the option to rejoin the game after being eliminated. A player can duly rejoin the game if the next highest points on the table is not more than 174 points in a 201 Rummy game, and 79 points in case of a 101 Rummy game.

For a more detailed guide on how to play Rummy, and for more information on Rummy Rules, please refer to the Rummy Rules page on the website. Now that you’re familiar with the rules, you can now go ahead and spend many enjoyable hours playing Rummy and even looking forward to winning Rummy games for cash at X1 Games. We look forward to you seeing you here!