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How to Play Rummy Game & Win

Whether you are a skilled rummy player or want to learn how to play rummy games online, you've come to the perfect place. Rummy.com offers comprehensive guidance for beginners, helping them understand the game, and presents fantastic rewarding opportunities of productive entertainment to all rummy enthusiasts.

In the game of rummy, the objective is to arrange all your 13 cards in valid sequences, or sequences and sets. A sequence consists of three or more consecutive cards of the same suit, such as A-2-3 or 3-4-5. The ace (A) can be used as the lowest card (A-2-3) as well as the highest card (Q-K-A). In rummy, points have a negative value, and your goal is to achieve a score of zero points and make a valid declaration before anyone else.

How to Play Rummy Online in 5 Easy Steps

Play online rummy on the go with our mobile app, which has world-class features to ensure the best gaming experience imaginable. Simply download the free Rummy.com app onto your smartphone and engage in real-time battles against skilled players. Sharpen your skills by checking out our comprehensive guide on how to play rummy game online.

1. Setup of the game

The game of rummy is played using a standard 52-card deck plus a printed joker if there are only 2 players. If there are more than 2 players, 2 standard decks plus 2 printed jokers are used. Each player is dealt 13-cards. This is why Indian rummy is also called 13-card rummy.

2. The objective of the game

The objective of the game is to arrange all your cards in valid sequences, or sequences and sets. At the beginning of the game, one card is selected as a wild joker, and all the other suit cards of that rank or value also become wild jokers.

3. Dealing and arranging cards

Once every player is dealt 13 cards, the remaining ones form a closed deck on the table. The top card from the closed deck is placed face up on the table. It serves as an open deck, where players have to discard their unwanted cards.

4. Gameplay

Draw: The game starts with the player to the left of the dealer and proceeds clockwise. Each player begins their turn by picking one card from either the closed deck or the open deck (also called discard pile) and adding it to their hand. Then they have to discard one of their cards to the open deck/discard pile, in the same turn.

Discard: To end your turn, you must discard a card from your hand by placing it on top of the discard pile.

Meld: To meld cards means to put them in required combinations, i.e. create sequences and sets.

5. Declaration of cards

To win a game, you have to make a valid declaration first, before any of your opponents can make a valid declaration. If your declaration is valid, you win the game, otherwise you get a penalty depending on your cards.

If you have at least two sequences, out of which at least one is a pure sequence, and all other cards in your hand are arranged in sequences or sets, then you should make a declaration by discarding the 14th card from your hand to “Finish Slot.”

How Points and Winnings Are Calculated in Indian Rummy

Now that you know how to play a rummy game, let’s see how points and winnings are calculated in rummy.

■ Points Rummy

In a cash points rummy game, each point has a monetary value, which you can determine before starting the game. The winner gets the amount their opponents lose in the game. A small Rummy.com fee is deducted from the winnings.

The amount is calculated as follows:

Winnings = Sum of the points of all losing players X Value of each point in rupees — Rummy.com Fee

Example: Suppose four players are playing a cash points rummy game at a ₹160 table, i.e. the pre-decided value of each point is ₹2. Player A wins the game, and player B, C, and D lose by 20, 40, and 50 points, respectively. The amount won by Player A will be calculated as follows:

Winnings = (20+40+50) X ₹2 = ₹220 — Rummy.com Fee

■ Pool Rummy

The formula used to calculate winnings in a cashpool rummy game is as follows:

Winnings = (Entry fee × Number of players) – Rummy.com fee

Example: If four players are playing a pool rummy game with a fixed entry fee of ₹100, the prize will be as follows:

Winnings = ₹100 X 4 = ₹400 — Rummy.com Fee

■ Deals Rummy

In deals rummy, the winner gets chips that are equal to the points lost by losing players. The formula to calculate winnings is as follows:

Winnings = (Entry fee × Number of players) – Rummy.com fee

Example: If two players are playing a deals rummy game in which the entry fee is ₹5 each and Player A wins, the amount won will be as follows:

Winnings = ₹5 X 2 = ₹10 — Rummy.com Fee

How to Download Rummy Game and Play Online

Playing a cash game on the Rummy.com app is as easy as ABC. To download rummy app on an Android mobile, follow these steps:

• Go to Google Play Store, type “Rummy.com” in the search bar, and search.
• Tap the Rummy.com game app and tap “Install.”
• Once the app is installed, tap “Open” to begin your rummy journey on Rummy.com.
• Choose from points rummy, deals rummy, and pool rummy, and play.

Some Rummy Terms You Should Know

To learn how to play rummy, you first need to know some important terms used in the game. These terms will help you understand the game and get started.

Rummy Table

In an online game, a rummy table is a virtual table on which the game of rummy is played. The Rummy.com app has 2-player tables and 6-player tables.

Sorting

Sorting is done at the beginning of the game. In our rummy games, cards dealt to players are automatically sorted according to suits. Once a pure sequence is created, you get an option to group the cards in the best possible combinations. As the Rummy.com app does the sorting for you, it reduces the possibility of mixing cards up.

Deal/Round

A deal or round refers to a single round of play that ends with a valid declaration. The play from the time when cards are dealt to the time when any player at the table makes a valid declaration is called a deal or round.

Dealing cards

The process of distributing cards to players is called dealing cards. Every player is dealt 13 random cards at the beginning of the game, and at the beginning of every deal/round in deals rummy and pool rummy.

Draw

In rummy, you have to pick cards from the open deck or closed deck on each turn. Picking cards from either deck is called drawing cards.

Discard

Once you draw a card from a deck, you have to let go of an unwanted card. This action is known as discarding cards.

Meld

Whether you play rummy online for free or for real money, the main objective is to arrange all your cards in valid groups. You have to create sequences and sets by arranging cards. The process of arranging cards in valid groups is called melding.

Jokers

In online rummy, there are 1 printed joker and 4 wild jokers per pack. A printed joker has the picture of a joker or clown printed on it and is already in the deck. A wild joker is selected randomly at the beginning of each game and the card of the same rank in every suit becomes a wild joker for that game. For example, if the 9 of spades (9♠) gets selected as a wild joker, the 9 of every suit will become a wild joker.

Drop

A drop happens when a player chooses to quit a game after it has started. A penalty is imposed on the player who drops a game. There are two types of drops in rummy. When a player quits the game even before picking a single card, it’s called a first drop. A 20-point penalty is imposed on the player for a first drop. A middle drop happens when a player quits anytime after picking a card. A penalty of 40 points is imposed for a middle drop.

Chips

You will get free virtual chips to play practice games on Rummy.com. You can reload chips when you have exhausted them. You also get chips in cash deals rummy games. In a cash game, each chip has a monetary value. When you win a deal, chips won will be added to your account.

For a free game, a specific number of chips will be deducted from your account as an entry fee. When you win a free game, the virtual chips won will automatically be added to your account but they don’t have any monetary value or real value.

Declare

Once all your cards are arranged in valid groups (sequences, or sequences and sets), you need to declare your cards or hand. You will have to discard one card to the “Finish Slot” to end the game. Then you will have to declare your cards to show them to your opponents, which is known as the act of declaring or a declaration.

Cash Tournaments

On Rummy.com, you can participate in cash tournaments too. If you want to play rummy online for real money, you will be required to pay a small entry fee. Winners get real cash prizes in cash games and cash tournaments.

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