Rummy Show Rules
Rummy is a very exciting traditional card game and it requires a lot of skill to win the game. You should be analytically and observationally sharp to be one of the best at rummy. And for that, you’ll need a lot of practice. Along with that, few strategies need to be followed to win the game. To win a rummy game a player must make a valid declaration before anyone else. A valid declaration is also known as “show”.
What’s a valid declaration in rummy?
A valid declaration or a valid show needs to follow the below set of rules –
A valid declaration must contain 13 cards in hand.
It should have at least 2 sequences.
It should have at least 1 valid pure sequence – A sequence of at least three cards of the same suit. A joker card cannot be used to create a pure sequence.
The second sequence can be pure or impure. An impure sequence has at least three cards of the same suit with the use of either printed or wild card joker.
After you’ve met the condition of forming 2 sequences, the rest of the cards can be grouped into either sets or sequences. Sets are a group of 3 or 4 cards with the same rank but different suits.
When the winner plays a valid show, he gets 0 points.
Example 1 : Declaring with pure sequences and sets
Pure Sequence
Sequence
Set
Set
Example 2 : Declaring with pure and impure sets and sequences.
Impure Sequence
Pure Sequence
Set
Set
Deal show in rummy
If a player makes a valid declaration during the first round of turns after the beginning of the game, it is called a deal show. Now, since other players might not have gotten their turn, it’s unfair to punish them for it. Therefore, in the case of a deal show, the following rules are valid:
- The losing player gets points equal to half of his/her hand score. For example, if the hand score for a losing player is 60 points, then the player gets 30 points as his score.
- The minimum number of points a losing player can get in this case is 2 (for scores 2, 3, 4, & 5).
- The maximum number of points for a losing player, in this case, is 40 (for scores 80 or more).
Wrong Show or Invalid Declaration in rummy
If a player makes a declaration without fulfilling the aforementioned conditions for a valid declaration, it is known as an invalid declaration or invalid show. For example, let’s say you made an invalid declaration, you’ll pay a penalty of 80 points in Pool 101, Pool 201,Deals, Points, and 60 points in Pool 61.
So whatever you do, don’t make an invalid declaration.
Example 1 : Invalid set
Pure Sequence
Sequence
Set
Invalid
In the above example, 7 ♦, 7 ♠, 7 ♥, 7 ♠ is an invalid set because 2 cards are of the same suit : 7 ♠.
Example 2 : Declaring without any sequence
Set
Set
Set
Set
In the above example, there is no sequence. Hence, it’s an invalid show.
