Indian Rummy

India

Thirteen cards, a wild rank turned up at the deal, and a declaration needs two runs with one of them clean.

Play Indian Rummy onlineFree, no account needed. The table starts from exactly the rules on this page, and the host can change any of them to match how your family plays.

How to play

The idea

Get rid of every card in your hand by laying down melds. The first player out ends the hand and everyone else is penalised for what they are still holding. The match ends when somebody reaches 250. A low score is a good score.

Melds

There are only two kinds, and both need at least three cards.

  • Set — the same rank in different suits, like 9♠ 9♥ 9♦. Four at most, since there are only four suits, and two identical cards never count.
  • Run — a sequence in one suit, like 5♥ 6♥ 7♥. The ace sits at either end, so A-2-3 and Q-K-A both work, but a run may not turn the corner: K-A-2 is not a run.

A set is not a run. Three nines are a set however you look at them.

The deal

2 decks are shuffled together — 106 cards, including 2 jokers. The player to the dealer’s right cuts, choosing how far down to take it. Everyone gets 13 cards.

Your turn

  1. Draw one card — from the face-down stock, or the top of the discard pile, or take the cut card. Click the stock to draw.
  2. Lay down what you can — new melds, cards added to melds already on the table, or a swap for a joker.
  3. Discard one card to end your turn. Drag it onto the discard pile, or select it and press Discard.

The first time you draw in a hand you may take the top discard and simply keep it.

Opening

There is no minimum to open with: put melds down as soon as you have one.

The cut card

One card is turned up at the deal and stays on show. You may take it instead of your normal draw, but it is only yours if you go out that same turn. If you cannot, put it back — your turn is not over, and you draw as usual. One try per turn.

Jokers

A joker stands in for any card, 2 per meld at most.

Left in your hand at the end, a joker costs you nothing.

Going out and scoring

You go out by getting rid of everything, finishing with a discard.

Everyone else counts what is left in their hand: pip value for the numbers, 10 for a picture card, 10 for an ace, 0 for a joker. A player who never opened takes a flat 80 instead.

The rules in full

Indian Rummy India

Cards

  • 13 cards each.
  • 2 French packs — 106 cards, 2 of them jokers.
  • The card turned up at the deal sets a wild rank for the hand.
  • An ace sits at either end of a run: 10 points high, 1 low.
  • A joker left in hand costs 0.

Melds

  • Sets and runs, 3 cards at least.
  • At most 2 wild cards in one meld.
  • A joker on the table stays there.
  • You may only add to your own melds.

Playing

  • No minimum to open — lay down whenever you like.
  • Only the top card of the discard pile.
  • Your first pick from the pile each hand is free to keep.

Finishing and scoring

  • You go out by discarding your last card.
  • Going out needs 2 runs on the table, 1 of them joker-free.
  • What you are caught holding counts against you.
  • Never opening costs a flat 80.
  • A hand never costs more than 80.
  • The match ends when somebody reaches 250.
  • The lowest total wins.

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