Rummy Rules

Rummy is a simple game. It’s easy to understand it, play it, and learn it. And just like every other game, it has a few rules too. Let’s have a look at the set of rules that are there for 13-card Indian rummy.

Basic Game Rules

  • 1

    The game starts with 13 cards being dealt to each player.

  • 2

    A toss takes place at the beginning of every game. In this, a card is randomly dealt to all the players and if you have the highest card in terms of value, you’ll get to start the game.

  • 3

    Once the cards have been dealt, the first card is placed in the open deck to indicate that the game has started. The remaining cards are placed face-down in the closed deck slot.

  • 4

    Players during their turn pick a card from either a closed deck or open deck and then discard a card.

  • 5

    The player who makes a valid declaration first, is the winner.

  • 6

    For a declaration to be valid, it must have 2 sequences, 1 of which has to be a pure sequence.

    A Valid Declaration

    A Valid Declaration - pure sequence

    valid check

    Pure Sequence

    A Valid Declaration - sequence

    valid check

    Sequence

    A Valid Declaration - set

    valid check

    Set

    A Valid Declaration - set

    valid check

    Set

  • 7

    The penalty points of other players are calculated based on the face value of ungrouped cards.

    Cards

    Points

    Face Cards : Ace, King, Queen, Jack

    10

    Joker and Printed Joker

    0

    Numerical Cards

    The numerical cards incur the points as their numerical value.

    Example showing points associated with different types of cards

    heart Ace

    10 pts

    Spade King

    10 pts

    Club Queen

    10 pts

    Diamond jack

    10 pts

    Joker 0 points

    0 pts

    Diamond 6

    0 pts

    Heart 8

    8 pts

    club 9

    9 pts

    Spade 10

    10 pts

Rummy Concepts

Players & Decks

It’s played between 2 to 6 players using 1 or 2 standard decks of cards with 1 or 2 printed jokers in each deck.

13 Card Indian
Rummy

Each player is dealt with 13 cards in indian rummy.

Toss
Rummy

The toss will determine which player is going to make the first move.

Objective

The main objective of the 13-card Indian rummy game is to group all the 13 cards dealt into sets or sequences. To win, you must have at least 2 sequences out of which one must be a pure sequence (without including joker) and the remaining cards must be arranged in sets or sequences.

Example of valid declaration

A Valid Declaration - pure sequence

valid check

Pure Sequence

A Valid Declaration - sequence

valid check

Sequence

A Valid Declaration - set

valid check

Set

A Valid Declaration - set

valid check

Set

Remaining
Cards

The undealt cards, called Stock, are kept face-down on the game table for further use by the players. A discard Pile is where a card can be put face up next to the stock where players discard or shed their cards.

Joker

There are 2 types of Joker cards in 13 Cards Rummy: Printed Joker and Wild Card Joker. After the cards are dealt, one card from the remaining deck is selected at random as a wild card joker. Joker functions as a substitute to any card and can be used to make a sequence or set. In case a printed joker is selected as a wild card, then ace card (A) of any suit can be used as a wild card. When a joker is thrown in the open card slot, it can not be picked by other players.

Joker

Symbol of Joker Printed Joker

Printed Joker ,As the name says, are those cards that form the pack by depicting a funny and clownish figure on them

Wild Joker

Symbol of Wild Joker Wild Joker

The wild Joker is randomly picked at the beginning of the game. Just like the printed Joker, the wild Joker can also be used as a substitute for any missing card and helps form an impure sequence or a set.

Draw

Each player during their turn has a choice to pick the topmost card from the face-down deck or pick the topmost card from the face-up pile. 8.Discard – Once a player picks/draws a card from either of the pack, the player has to discard a card subsequently. Hence it’s called a draw and discard game.

Discard

Once a player picks/draws a card from either of the pack, the player has to discard a card subsequently. Hence it’s called a draw and discard game.

drop 20 points

Drop

During the gameplay, a player can opt to drop out.

First Drop

Middle Drop

Choosing to drop before making the first move some penalty.

Choosing to drop after the first move with some penalty.

Game Type

First Drop Points

Middle Drop Points

Points Game

20

40

101 Pool

20

40

201 Pool

25

50

61 Pool

15

30

Points Rummy

First Drop

Middle Drop

20 Points

40 Points

Pool 101 Rummy

First Drop

Middle Drop

20 Points

40 Points

Pool 201 Rummy

First Drop

Middle Drop

25 Points

50 Points

Pool 61 Rummy

First Drop

Middle Drop

15 points

30 points

Show

When a player makes a valid declaration. It’s called Declare or Show. If the melded sets and sequences do not fulfil the validation criteria, then the player gets charged with a penalty of 80 points for an invalid declaration in Points/Deal/Pool 101/Pool 201 Games while 60 Points in Pool 61 game.

Discarding the 14th card to finish slot

Discarding the 14th card to finish set
8-9-10-jack Heart cards
4-5-6 Club cards
7-8-9- Diamonds cards
Ace-2-4 Spades
valid check

Pure Sequence

8-9-10-Jack Heart cards

valid check

Sequence

4-5-6 CLub cards

invalid check

Invalid (16)

Ace-2-3 Spade cards

valid check

Sequence

8-9-10-Jack Heart Cards

Show

Deal Show

When a player declares during the first round of turns, it is called Deal Show. In this, other players lose half of their points and the maximum loss will be 40 Points.

Scoring

The lesser points you have, the better! When a player makes a valid declaration, he/she gets 0 points. The remaining players get points based on the cards in their hands that are not grouped in valid sequences and sets. A, K, Q, J have 10 points each, and the remaining cards have points based on their face value. Jokers have 0 points. If a player makes an invalid declaration (declares without meeting the objective of the game) then the player gets 80 points

Pure Sequence

This is also called first life. A sequence of at least three cards of the same suit without the use of Joker is called a pure sequence

Examples of pure sequence

Pure Sequence of 8-9-10-Jack of Heart cards

valid check

Pure Sequence

Pure Sequence of Ace-2-3 of Spades cards

valid check

Pure Sequence

Impure
sequence

This is also called Second life. A sequence of at least three cards of the same suit with Joker is called the Impure sequence.

Examples of impure sequence

Pure Sequence of 8-9-10-Jack of Heart cards

valid check

Pure Sequence

Sequence of Ace-2-3 of Spades cards

valid check

Pure Sequence

Set

Rummy Sets are a group of 3 or 4 cards with the same rank but different suits.

Examples of sets

Sets

valid check

Set

set 2

valid check

Set

Rejoin

When a player can join the game after he has been eliminated (reaching the maximum points limit) is called Rejoin. At Playship in Pool Games, rejoining is allowed <2000 Entry Fee games. Users can rejoin if the user has scored no more than 79 in 101 pool rummy and 174 in 201 pool rummy and 44 in 61 pool rummy. The user rejoins the game with his score of +1 and with the same amount of entry fee. Effectively this also increases the prize amount of the game.

Split

When players agree to divide the prize among themselves, it is called Split. At Playship in Pool Games, manual split is allowed for <=2000 entry fee games. Users can split the prize among themselves if everyone agrees on it. The calculation of prize happens based on this – The extra drops are calculated by subtracting his first drops from the minimum first drops. An amount equal to the wagering after deducting the rake amount is given for each extra drop. The balance table amount is then distributed equally among the eligible players. For games >2000, Split happens automatically through the system.