Rummy

Rummy is the classic draw-and-discard card game that gave its name to the wider rummy family. It sits between Gin Rummy and 500 Rummy: players build melds on the table during play, then try to go out while the opponent is still holding scoring cards.

How to Play Rummy

This two-player version deals 10 cards to each player from a standard 52-card French deck. The rest of the deck becomes the stock, and one card is turned face up to start the discard pile. On each turn, draw from the stock or discard pile, optionally meld or lay off, then discard one card.

Sets, Runs, and Layoffs

A set is three or four cards of the same rank. A run is three or more consecutive cards in the same suit. After a meld is on the table, you may lay off matching cards on your own melds or the opponent's melds. That open-table layoff rule is what makes Standard Rummy feel different from Gin Rummy.

Scoring

The first player to get rid of every hand card wins the hand. The winner scores the value of the cards left in the opponent's hand. Number cards count face value, face cards count 10, and aces count 11 in this version because ace-high runs such as Q-K-A are allowed. First to 100 points wins the match.

Rummy Strategy

Take the discard when it completes a set, extends a run, or lays off immediately. Avoid opening melds too early if they give the opponent easy layoff targets, but do not hold high cards for too long. Kings, queens, jacks, and aces become expensive deadwood if the opponent goes out first.