Rummy Rules and Guide

What is Online Rummy?

Indian Rummy game is played with two decks of cards with two Jokers. Cards in four suits, from low to high: Ace 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Jack Queen King. Indian rummy played over the internet is Online rummy.

The Ace card can be used as 1 or a face card when making the sets. Rummy rules are integral to success in rummy. Following the rummy rules properly means the battle is half won and then comes the rummy strategies. A minimum of 2 players and a maximum of 6 players can participate in this 13-card game of cards

Objective

The main objective of the 13 card rummy game is to arrange all the 13 cards dealt into sets or sequences. In order 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.

Set

A set is made by three or four cards of the same rank from different suits. (J, J, J of different suits)

Please note when you are using 2 decks or more you cannot use the same card twice in a set for instance. 6 ♠ 6 ♠ 6 ♥ cannot be considered as a valid set in such cases

Sequence or Run

Three or four consecutive cards from a same suit is called sequence (eg: 3♠,4♠ ,5♠ is a sequence)

Pure Sequence

One pure sequence is mandatory in the game of Rummy to declare victory. Three or 4 cards of the same suit without joker can be referred as Pure sequence. 3♠ 4♠ 5♠ is a pure sequence.

Caution

When you are using 2 decks or more you cannot use the same card twice in a set for instance. 6 ♠ 6 ♠ 6 ♥ cannot be considered as a valid set in such cases.

Wild card

A card generated randomly at the beginning of the rummy game that can take the place of any card in a run or a set is called Wild card. They are commonly referred as Joker Cards. As it is highly improbable to meld all the 13 cards dealt into pure sets and sequences, Wild cards comes in handy as they act as a substitute for the card missing in a set or a sequence.

Usage of the wild card

• A wild card is randomly auto generated at the beginning of the game and it can be substituted for any card while making a set or sequence eg: Suppose if 7♠ turns to be the wild card, you can use of 7 from any suit while making a set or a sequence. 2♠ 3♠ 7♣ is a valid sequence since 7 is the joker.
• One or more Wild cards can be used to complete a game
• 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.

Toss

The toss will determine which player is going to make the first move. Every player in a table is given a system generated random open card. The player with the highest hand card is the winner and he gets to start the game. The ranking of suits is as follows

Rank of Cards

The ranking of suits is as follows

• Spades are the 1st highest suit
• Hearts are the 2nd highest suit
• Diamonds are the 3rd highest suit
• Clubs are the 4th highest suit

Eg: If 6 players get A♣, A♠, A♦, A♥, 10♣, 10♠ respectively, then the one with A♠ is the winner of the toss and he gets to make the first move.

Game Play – How to Play Rummy

• A random toss is made in the beginning, where a card is randomly dealt to all players and the player with the highest hand card is the winner and he gets to start the game
• 13 cards are dealt to each player
• First card is placed in the open deck to indicate that the game has started. Remaining cards are placed face-down in the closed deck slot to form the discard pile
• Players can then arrange their card based on the suits using the sort button provided by us
• Players during their turn can pick a card from either open or closed deck and should discard a card with their face up on the discard pile. They can lay off cards on existing sets or runs on the table.
• The player who arranges all the 13 cards in their hands in sets and sequences are declared as winners. Please note that the player needs to have at least two sequences, one of which must be a pure sequence (without Jokers) and other cards arranged in sequences and/or sets
• After arranging the 13 cards in sets and sequences, the player should discard the final card on the finish slot to declare the game. The objective is to have the lowest score at the end of the game.
• If all the sets and sequences are valid as per the rules, the player wins with 0 points and the points of the losing players are calculated based on the value of cards remaining in their hands
• The game continues with further rounds until a player reaches the pre-determined target score or until a certain number of rounds have been played
• For a successful declare, the player needs two sequences at least, only then our system will recognize it as a valid declare. Players must group their sets/sequences accordingly as mentioned above and then go for the declare. You need to have two combinations at least in order for a successful declare
• It is important to have a firm grasp of the rummy rules in order to carry out all the steps mentioned above

How Scores are calculated in Online Rummy?

13 cards are dealt to every player randomly without any prejudice

• Face value for the cards from 2 to 9 of all suits eg: 4 of any suit gives 4 points
• Jokers (selected as well as printed) have 0 points
• If a player completes the objective, he wins the game with 0 points, else the handscore of the unmolded cards (cards that do not belong to a set or a sequence) are calculated, and the player loses with that much points.
• A player’s maximum score in Rummy is 80. Even if the player gets 85 points based on his hand score, his score would still remain 80. In case the player's hand score is 60, the player would get 60 points.

If Hand Score < 80 then Points = Hand Score

If Hand Score >=80 then Points = 80

Calculating points for different scenarios are explained below.

• Case 1: If the player does not have a pure sequence at the end of the game, then points of all the 13 cards are calculated. His Points would remain 80 in such cases.
• Case 2: If the Player has only one pure sequence, then the points are calculated based on the hand score of remaining cards. (eg: If the player has pure sequence (K♣, Q♣, J♣) then his points are calculated based on the hand score of 10 remaining cards)
• Case 3: If the player has 2 sequences and one set then the points of the cards that remain ungrouped are taken into consideration eg: If you have Seq 1 (K♣, Q♣, J♣) and Seq 2 (2♦,3♦,4♦, Joker), a set (6♥,6♦,6♣) then the points are calculated based on the hand score of remaining 3 cards. If he has 10, 8, 3 as the hand cards then his score would be 21 (10+8+3)
• Case 4: If the player has No sets are sequences, then hand score of all the 13 cards are calculated. His Points would remain 80 in such cases and the player would get dropped.
• If the losing player has not even had his first turn before the opponent has made a valid declaration, then the losing player gets 20 points.
• If a player misses three consecutive moves (failing to pick & discard cards within allocated time for each move), the player would get dropped automatically. The dropped player will get 40 points.
• If a player has met the game objective but doesn’t declare, the player would then be awarded a score of 2 points

Drop Option

• Players have an option to drop the game at any point of time themselves.
• To avail the Drop option, the player must not have picked a card from open/closed deck in that particular turn
• If a player drops the game in the first turn, he/she get 20 points and the game continues till a winner emerges. If a player drops the game in any other turn, he/she gets 40 points.

What are some Rummy Tips?

Now that you're familiar with the basic rules of rummy, let's explore some advanced rummy strategies to enhance your gameplay and boost your chances of winning:

• Focus on Forming Pure Sequences: Pure sequence (sequence without any jokers) is essential for winning in rummy. Prioritize forming pure sequences early in the game to ensure you have a good chance
• Keep Track of Discards: Pay close attention to the cards your opponents are discarding. This can give you valuable information about the cards they need or don't need, helping you make strategic decisions about which cards to pick up or discard.
• Use Jokers Wisely: Jokers can be used as wild cards to complete sets and sequences. However, do not waste them on low-value cards. Save your jokers for high-value cards or to complete essential sequences.
• Practice Good Hand Management: Managing your hand effectively is a key to success in rummy. Constantly reassess your cards, prioritize forming sets and sequences, and discard cards that are unlikely to help you achieve your goal.
• Stay Calm and Patient: Rummy is a game of skill and strategy, not luck. Stay calm, patient, and focused throughout the game, and don't let emotions dictate your decisions.