Seven cards, reach as deep into the discard pile as you like, and your melds count for you.
Play Rummy 500 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 500. Here the score counts winnings, so a high 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
One deck — 54 cards, including 2 jokers. The player to the dealer’s right cuts, choosing how far down to take it. Everyone gets 7 cards.
Your turn
Draw one card — from the face-down stock, or the top of the discard pile. Click the stock to draw.
Lay down what you can — new melds, cards added to melds already on the table, or a swap for a joker.
Discard one card to end your turn. Drag it onto the discard pile, or select it and press Discard.
Opening
There is no minimum to open with: put melds down as soon as you have one.
Jokers
A joker stands in for any card, 1 per meld at most.
Left in your hand at the end, a joker costs you 15 points — the most expensive card in the game.
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, 15 for an ace, 15 for a joker.
The rules in full
Rummy 500USA · Canada
Cards
7 cards each.
One French pack — 54 cards, 2 of them jokers.
An ace sits at either end of a run: 15 points high, 1 low.
A joker left in hand costs 15.
Melds
Sets and runs, 3 cards at least.
At most one wild card in any meld.
A joker on the table stays there.
You may add to anybody’s melds.
Playing
No minimum to open — lay down whenever you like.
You may take any depth of the discard pile, melding the card you went in for.
Otherwise a card taken from the pile must be played that turn.
Finishing and scoring
You go out by discarding your last card.
Your melds count for you; what you are caught holding counts against.