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Indian Rummy - How to Play Rummy
The basic rule in all variants of rummy is to "draw and discard" with the main objective of improving one's hand by forming sets and/or sequence.
Indian Rummy is usually played with 2 to 6 players, with a single deck of 52 cards. If there are 4 or more players, two decks are used. Each player is dealt 13 cards; each has to draw and discard cards by turns till one player melds his/her cards with valid sets that meet the rummy validation rules.
To begin the session, each player is dealt 13 cards and one card is randomly selected as "Joker". There are two stacks available on the table, a closed un-dealt cards and open discarded pile. After the cards are dealt, the players take turns in selecting cards from either of these stacks, thereby drawing a card. Once the player has selected the card, he has to get rid of one card which is called discarding. If a player gets "Joker", he can use it in place of any card.
The main objective of each player in Indian Rummy should be to form sequence and/or sets from the 13 cards that are dealt to him/her.
Indian Rummy is usually played with 2 to 6 players, with a single deck of 52 cards. If there are 4 or more players, two decks are used. Each player is dealt 13 cards; each has to draw and discard cards by turns till one player melds his/her cards with valid sets that meet the rummy validation rules.
To begin the session, each player is dealt 13 cards and one card is randomly selected as "Joker". There are two stacks available on the table, a closed un-dealt cards and open discarded pile. After the cards are dealt, the players take turns in selecting cards from either of these stacks, thereby drawing a card. Once the player has selected the card, he has to get rid of one card which is called discarding. If a player gets "Joker", he can use it in place of any card.
The main objective of each player in Indian Rummy should be to form sequence and/or sets from the 13 cards that are dealt to him/her.
Runs in Indian Rummy
A run (or sequence) consists of three or more consecutive cards of the same suit as in the order A-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-J-Q-K-A. Ace can be next to 2 or next to a king but not both at once. It is not a valid run.
Sets in Indian Rummy
A set (trail, trio) consists of three cards of the same rank in different suits: 5- 5- 5. If two decks are used, then it is not valid to use the cards of the same rank with same suits like 7- 7- 7.
The combinations must not overlap. For instance 7- 8- 9- 9- 9 is either a run of diamonds with two spare 9's or a set of 9's with two spare diamonds. If a second 9 or a 9 or a 6 is added, the six cards form a run and a set.
Wild cards are used to substitute any missing card in a set or run. For instance, if the random selected joker is 8 then 3- 8- 5 is a valid run, and J- J- 8 is a valid set since all 8's are wild.
Straight run is a run formed only when there is no wild card is used as substitute. At least one straight one straight run is required in one's hand to form valid combinations. Note that if 8's are wild, 7- 8- 9 counts as a straight run, since the 8 is used as itself, not as a wild card, but J- Q- 8 is not a straight run - just an ordinary run.
When three decks are used it is customary to allow an additional type of combination consisting of three identical cards - such as 10- 10- 10. This is known as a tanala, and is treated as equivalent to a straight run.
It is necessary to hold at least two runs out of which one must be a straight run, to declare Rummy or win it. Remaining of the 13 cards must also be formed into combinations, which may be runs or sets, with or without wild cards. The first "straight" run or tanala is known as the "original life" while the second run is known as "second life".
A winning hand must consist of four combinations in Indian Rummy: one of four cards and three of three cards. But it is also possible to win with just three combinations of 5,4 and 4 or 5,5 and 3. They should always include at least two runs, one of which must be straight.
Player sitting to the dealer's right gets to play first and it continues anti-clockwise. Each player in his/her turn can pick a card from either the closed un-dealt cards or open discarded pile. The player who has selected a card from either of these two stacks has to discard a card from his cards.
In case the player picks a card from discarded pile, he cannot discard in the same turn and must wait for the next turn to discard it.
There might be instances that the card picked up by the first player is a joker, it can be picked by him in the normal way as it gives him the advantage in the game.
The play continues until a player, after picking up a card, has 13 cards that form valid combinations (including at least one straight run and at least one other run as explained above). In this case the player discards the 14th card and declares 'Rummy', placing the 13 cards face up to show that they form the required runs and sets, and winning the game.
Note that no runs or sets are laid out during the play. In this form of Indian Rummy, players keep all their cards concealed from the other players until a player is able to win.
If there are no cards remaining in the stack and no one has declared Rummy by the end of the turn in which the last stock card was taken, the game is void and no one wins.
The combinations must not overlap. For instance 7- 8- 9- 9- 9 is either a run of diamonds with two spare 9's or a set of 9's with two spare diamonds. If a second 9 or a 9 or a 6 is added, the six cards form a run and a set.
Wild cards are used to substitute any missing card in a set or run. For instance, if the random selected joker is 8 then 3- 8- 5 is a valid run, and J- J- 8 is a valid set since all 8's are wild.
Straight run is a run formed only when there is no wild card is used as substitute. At least one straight one straight run is required in one's hand to form valid combinations. Note that if 8's are wild, 7- 8- 9 counts as a straight run, since the 8 is used as itself, not as a wild card, but J- Q- 8 is not a straight run - just an ordinary run.
When three decks are used it is customary to allow an additional type of combination consisting of three identical cards - such as 10- 10- 10. This is known as a tanala, and is treated as equivalent to a straight run.
It is necessary to hold at least two runs out of which one must be a straight run, to declare Rummy or win it. Remaining of the 13 cards must also be formed into combinations, which may be runs or sets, with or without wild cards. The first "straight" run or tanala is known as the "original life" while the second run is known as "second life".
A winning hand must consist of four combinations in Indian Rummy: one of four cards and three of three cards. But it is also possible to win with just three combinations of 5,4 and 4 or 5,5 and 3. They should always include at least two runs, one of which must be straight.
Player sitting to the dealer's right gets to play first and it continues anti-clockwise. Each player in his/her turn can pick a card from either the closed un-dealt cards or open discarded pile. The player who has selected a card from either of these two stacks has to discard a card from his cards.
In case the player picks a card from discarded pile, he cannot discard in the same turn and must wait for the next turn to discard it.
There might be instances that the card picked up by the first player is a joker, it can be picked by him in the normal way as it gives him the advantage in the game.
The play continues until a player, after picking up a card, has 13 cards that form valid combinations (including at least one straight run and at least one other run as explained above). In this case the player discards the 14th card and declares 'Rummy', placing the 13 cards face up to show that they form the required runs and sets, and winning the game.
Note that no runs or sets are laid out during the play. In this form of Indian Rummy, players keep all their cards concealed from the other players until a player is able to win.
If there are no cards remaining in the stack and no one has declared Rummy by the end of the turn in which the last stock card was taken, the game is void and no one wins.
Packing in Indian Rummy
A player with a weak hand may decide to withdraw from the game, which is called packing or dropping. It has to be done before the player's turns of drawing begins. In case the player packs before his very first turn of drawing and discarding, he has to pay 10 points to the eventual winner. All his 13 cards will be shuffled and added to the un-disclosed pile of cards and are available for other players.
In case the player packs in his later turns must pay 40 points to the eventual winner and his cards are not added to either of the stacks. They are set aside face down out of the game.
If all players except one have packed, then the remaining player is the winner and collects the appropriate amounts from the players who have packed.
When the stack is used and there is no one to declare Rummy, the game is void and the packed players do not have to pay.
In case the player packs in his later turns must pay 40 points to the eventual winner and his cards are not added to either of the stacks. They are set aside face down out of the game.
If all players except one have packed, then the remaining player is the winner and collects the appropriate amounts from the players who have packed.
When the stack is used and there is no one to declare Rummy, the game is void and the packed players do not have to pay.
Scoring in Indian Rummy
When the winner declares rummy, all other players count their hands for pay-off. The values of the cards are as follows:
If the hand contains a second run (second life) as well as a straight run, cards in these runs and any additional runs and trails (sets) requirements are not counted.
The values of all remaining cards are totalled and the points are paid to the winner. Packed players also pay the winner either 10 or 40 points, depending on when they packed.
Example: five is the joker (wild card) and a player holds 10- J- Q- K- 7- 8- 8- 4- 4- 4- 4- 2- 2 when another player wins. This player has an original life (straight run in hearts) but no second life, so must pay 3 points. If the player had a wild card in place of the 8, the payment would be only 8 points for a 4 and the two 2's, since the diamond run would be a second life, making the trail of 4's also valid.
If a player declares Rummy after picking a card in his first turn while others did not have an opportunity to pack r pick a card, pay for their unmatched cards at half rate. It is the total value of their cards that are not in valid combinations divided by two.
Sometimes, there are rare events when a player declares Rummy even without drawing a card. In such cases, all cards connected in compliance with the rules as dealt, is called "Hand Rummy". Others players will have to pay twice the total value of the unmatched cards, in such situations.
- A, K, Q, J, 10 count 10 points each
- 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 count face value
- All jokers - both the printed jokers and the cards of the same rank as the turned up joker - have a value of zero
If the hand contains a second run (second life) as well as a straight run, cards in these runs and any additional runs and trails (sets) requirements are not counted.
The values of all remaining cards are totalled and the points are paid to the winner. Packed players also pay the winner either 10 or 40 points, depending on when they packed.
Example: five is the joker (wild card) and a player holds 10- J- Q- K- 7- 8- 8- 4- 4- 4- 4- 2- 2 when another player wins. This player has an original life (straight run in hearts) but no second life, so must pay 3 points. If the player had a wild card in place of the 8, the payment would be only 8 points for a 4 and the two 2's, since the diamond run would be a second life, making the trail of 4's also valid.
If a player declares Rummy after picking a card in his first turn while others did not have an opportunity to pack r pick a card, pay for their unmatched cards at half rate. It is the total value of their cards that are not in valid combinations divided by two.
Sometimes, there are rare events when a player declares Rummy even without drawing a card. In such cases, all cards connected in compliance with the rules as dealt, is called "Hand Rummy". Others players will have to pay twice the total value of the unmatched cards, in such situations.
Variations
Stakes are doubled when the turned up wild card is a joker. If it is played with 2 decks, there is just one joker available for use. So whoever draws this card in the course of game has a strong hand, though it is a guaranteed win.
In some variations, if the wild card is a joker, the all the aces are considered as wild cards and stakes are not raised.
Sometimes there is no double score awarded for hand rummy.
Learn more about How to Play Rummy (Indian Rummy)
In some variations, if the wild card is a joker, the all the aces are considered as wild cards and stakes are not raised.
Sometimes there is no double score awarded for hand rummy.
Learn more about How to Play Rummy (Indian Rummy)