Rules For Playing Rummy
Basic Rules Play the game with two to four people. There are 106 tiles in four different colors, black, red, orange and blue, with numbers from 1 to 13. Included in these tiles are two jokers (wild tiles). Playing your tiles You play your tiles in melds (groups) on the table, in two possible ways: You play a run if you play three of more tiles of the same color, with numbers in sequence, like 456 or 910111213. A 1 is only valid in front of a 2, and never after a 13. Indian Rummy Rules Explained. The rules for playing rummy are pretty straightforward. The main objective of the game is to make sets and sequences out of the 13 cards we are dealt with. Once all the cards are arranged into sets and sequences, we will be able to declare the game.
OBJECTIVE OF RUMMIKUB: Get rid of all the tiles on your rack by organizing them into runs and groups OR have as little points in your hand as possible.
NUMBER OF PLAYERS: 2-4 players
MATERIALS: 106 tiles with numbers and colors including two jokers, tile racks
TYPE OF GAME: Tile Rummy
AUDIENCE: Adult
THE HISTORY OF RUMMIKUB
Rummikub is a group of rummy games played with tiles as opposed to cards. The game was introduced to the Western world by its inventor, Ephraim Hertzano. Tile Rummy was introduced in response to religious and legal sanctions on card games due to their association with gambling. It is believed to have been conceived in the 1930s or 1940s in Romania and has since gained international success, becoming the third best-selling game in the world. Sabra Rummikub is the only variation of Rummikub included in recent versions of the game and is the version described below.
SET UP
Rummikub includes 106 tiles including 2 jokers. The tiles are either black, red, orange, or blue and number 1-13.
The tiles are shuffled, face-down. Each player draws one tile, the player with the highest value tile goes first. Play passes clockwise. Each player collects 13 more tiles for a total of 14. Players place their tiles on the rack so that they are hidden from other players. The tiles that are not selected remain on the table and form a pool.
COMBINATIONS
The goal of Rummikub is like that of traditional Rummy played with cards- form melds of different combinations in order to get rid of all your tiles or the most high-value tiles (in order to have the lowest value hand) possible. The tiles value is equal to the number printed on it and jokers may be subsitituted for any point value.
Potential combinations consist of:
Groups are formed with 3 or 4 tiles of the same number but different colors.
Runs are formed with 3 or more numbers in sequence of the same color.
Tiles can only be counted in one combination and are not permitted to exist in multiple groups or runs.
PLAYING THE GAME
A player’s turn consists of either drawing a tile or melding 1 or more tiles from the rack by putting them on the table, face-up.
The first meld must have at least one combination which have a total value of 30 or more points.
After the first meld is finished on a player’s turn they may continue to make new melds or rearrange tiles in existing melds to form new and more strategic combinations.
Due to the complexity and numerous amount of possible rearrangements, there is a time limit imposed on turns: 2 minutes. If the time limit is reached before a player is able to finish rearranging their tiles into valid combinations the tiles must be returned to the configuration when the turn began. Players must also return tiles removed from the rack and draw 3 tiles as a penalty.
If you are unable to meld tiles to your own or any opponents combinations you must draw a tile from the pool. Your turn is over and play passes the next player. On your turn, you must draw tiles until you are able to play. You may not play a tile directly after drawing it.
Combinations with Jokers may have additions but can not have tiles moved and rearranged from it (or with it). Players may, however, replace Jokers with the tile it is supposed to represent if they have it in hand. The Joker does not return to the player’s hand for later use but must be used immediately and re-melded. In groups of equal tiles, the Joker may be represented by any color tile. For example, in a group of #3 red, #3 black, and a joker, the joker may be substituted with either #3 orange or #3 blue.
END GAME
The first player to play all their tiles wins the game. All other players sum the total of their remaining tiles on their rack – jokers count for 30 points. Losers score minus the total value of their tiles and winners score plus the total value of the loser’s tiles.
If the pool of tiles runs dry before anyone plays all their tiles and no one has won the gameplay ends once players are unable or unwilling to play their remaining tiles. The player with the lowest tile total is the winner. The difference between the winner’s total score and a losers is subtracted from the loser’s score. The difference is added to the winner’s score for each loser.
VARIATIONS
- Play can move clockwise or counter-clockwise.
- In a meld with a joker present some play that tiles of both colors must be added to the group before the Joker is retrieved.
- While there is no rule saying a combination can not have two jokers it is a poor and uncommon use of them. If you choose to use two jokers in a single combination they must be explicitly declared which tiles they represent.
- Jokers may value 25 points when they are left on the rack during scoring
REFERENCES:
http://www.rummy-games.com/rules/rummikub.html
https://www.pagat.com/rummy/rummikub.html
http://www.thehouseofcards.com/games/rummikub.html
Michigan Rummy Card Game Rules
The Michigan rummy, also known as the pinochle rummy, is a type of rummy that is very similar to the Canadian Rummoli. They both include playing chips, playing board, and also accumulated pots that are given to each player. This game accommodates between two to eight players, and each player records the score of the combination of cards they hold.
Rules Guiding The Game
Sharing The Cards
The Michigan rummy is best enjoyed by three to five players, but can also be played by two to eight players. The requirement for the Michigan rummy includes a French deck, 52 cards (or 53-54 if one or two jokers are included) for less than five players. When five or more players are involved, then two decks of cards will be required, which uses between 104 to 108 cards.
The players then draw for sharing, starting from the lowest dealing, the dealer then shuffles the card and the player by his right side cuts. The number of cards shared depends on the number of players. The dealer then shares each card to each player (starting from the left) in a clockwise direction without showing the card.
The remaining cards are positioned to face down in a single pile, and the topmost card is thrust aside, facing up, and play continues. Additional cards played by each player are placed facing up on top of the cards already in the discard pile. The pile is laid out in a way that players can easily see the cards in a pile but are not allowed to alter the order of the cards. The next player in a clockwise direction becomes the dealer as soon a round is completed.
Game Play
Each player’s target is to gain enough points by laying-off matching cards to the last played in the discard pile. This group of matching cards is known as “melds.” There are variations to playing the game, but the winner of the previous round usually becomes the dealer of the following round.
Ace is the least card in the draw but can be played as a high card also. If played after a king, it is played as a high card, and if played before a two, it is played as a low card. Note that you are not allowed to play an Ace both as a high card and also as low card in the same run. This rule is known as “going around the corner,” and it means that Q-K-A and 2-3-4 cannot be played in the same run.
Ideally, for two players, 13 cards are shared, while for three players and above, seven cards are shared, and the rest is placed faced down to form the stock. Beginning from the player by the left, a player can draw from the first card of the stock. After a card is picked up, no other cards can be picked up, although there are conditions attached to it.
Also, when playing your cards, you cannot pick cards that have already been laid down or pick only to play a card on a meld – this is not acceptable. You can only pick up a card from the discarding pile on the condition that you will be playing a meld that consists of at least three cards together with the card you picked up. Also, if a player lacks cards to play, then the player can pick up two cards, and one must be played instantly.
Scoring begins for all players involved when they lay up to 30 points for their first score. A – 9 are recorded as 5points, but when used as a high card, it is recorded as 15 points. Face cards are recorded as 10 points while jokers are recorded as 15 points.
The first player that reaches 500 points first wins the game; if two or more players reach the 500 points at the same time, the player with the highest points is awarded the winner. When any of the players play the last card in their hand, the game ends. The value of the cards at hand is then deducted from his score for every other player.
Also, if the stockpile finishes and no one has anything to play again, the game ends, and the highest scorer is declared the winner. Other modified rules have been set to make scoring easier.
Other Modifications of the Game
Rules For Playing Rummy Cube
- Dealer’s Gambit
The only deviations of this game from the Michigan rummy are that its pack contains 52 standard cards and two jokers while some play with four jokers to make it 56 cards in total, and sharing of cards is done in the anti-clockwise rotation. It also involves what is known as a wild joker, which is recorded as zero points.
Free Card Games Rummy
- Partnership 500
This game involves four players that are grouped into two teams, with partners of a team facing each other across the table. They have almost the same rules as in the Michigan rummy, but the exception is that the partners can play off on each other’s matched set of cards.
- Persian Rummy
This has 52 cards and four jokers in a pack, and each joker is recorded as 20 points (just like in the partnership 500). If there is a case of a meld of four being played at once, the score of the cards is recorded as double. The game ends after two rounds, and the side with the highest points gets 50 points as a bonus.
- Rummy
For this type of game, when a player plays a card, the first player to call out “Rum” will take the card played and discard the card on the table. The card may not be used to create a new sequence.
- 7-card straight
This variation of the game is known as the “Rummy Master’s Hand.” A player is automatically awarded 500 points when he plays seven cards at a stretch and also plays his last card. He is declared the winner.
Final words – Michigan Rummy
This game is believed to have birthed some games like the game of canasta and many more. It has a lot of variations, which may possess some similarities but is different in their way.