Understanding rummy rules is essential to mastering the game. Among its many formats, the 13-card version is the most popular and traditionally played in India. The game is played with a standard 52-card deck, this format has 2-6 players at a table. Each player is dealt 13 cards, and from here, it is all about skill, strategy and simple rules to mastering the game.
As per the rummy game rules, players have to pick and discard cards from the closed pile or the discard pile, until they are confident about making a valid declaration. A declaration in rummy is considered valid if you have at least 2 sequences, one of which needs to be pure. The player who makes the quickest valid declaration wins the game.
In a standard deck of 52 cards, there are four suits - Clubs ♣️️, Diamonds ♦️️️ Spades ♠️️ Hearts ❤️. Each of the suits are ranked low to high in the game, with 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 being equal to their numeric values. Ace, Jack, Queen and King are all valued at 10 points each.
Objectives of the rummy game
If you’re looking to understand rummy rules, it’s essential to first get a clear picture of what Indian rummy is all about. In this popular card game, each player is dealt 13 cards, and the objective is to arrange them into valid sets and sequences. To win, you need to make a valid declaration before anyone else at the table. But a valid declaration must include at least one pure sequence. That means a straight run of three or more consecutive cards of the same suit, with no printed or wild card jokers.
Rummy rules for forming sequences
In rummy sequences are three or more consecutive cards of the same suit grouped together. Sequences can be of two types, pure and impure. Pure sequences have to be made of 3 or more cards of the same suit grouped together in consecutive order, they cannot contain any joker cards to complete the sequence. A pure sequence is a must to make a valid declaration and win a game of rummy.
In a special scenario, if a wild card joker fits into a pure sequence naturally then it can be used to form a pure sequence. For example, if you have a 5 and 7 of hearts and 6 is a joker, then you can use 6 of hearts to form a pure sequence.
In a standard game of 13 card rummy, a pure sequence is a group of 3 or more cards of the same suit, placed in consecutive order. A pure sequence cannot contain any printed joker or wildcard joker.
Examples of Pure Sequence:
made with 4 cards.
made with 3 cards.
An impure sequence in a standard game of 13 card rummy is a group of 3 or more cards of the same suit with one or more joker cards used to replace missing cards in the sequence.
Examples of Impure Sequence:
- Say at the start of the game, it has been decided that ‘K’ is the wildcard joker - say a sequence is being formed and it has one card missing, so the impure sequence will look like this, 2 ♠️️, 3 ♠️️, K ♦️️️, 5 ♠️️
- Similarly if you have a printed joker then the set will look like this, 2 ♠️️, 3 ♠️️, Joker, 5 ♠️️, but it will still be an impure sequence.
- 1st life in rummy: The 1st life is your pure sequence - it is a must to qualify for a valid hand. A pure sequence means three or more consecutive cards of the same suit, without using a joker. For example, 5♠️️ 6♠️️ 7♠️️ is a valid 1st life. It’s the foundation of your strategy, without the pure sequence other cards won’t matter.
- 2nd life in rummy: The 2nd life is your second sequence, which can be pure or with a joker. It’s needed to complete a valid hand, along with other sets or sequences. For instance, if you’ve already got 3❤️ 4❤️ 5❤️ (1st life), you could use a Joker in your 2nd life like 8♣️️ 🃏 10♣️️ - the joker acts as 9♣️️. Together the 1st and 2nd lives make your hand valid.
Rummy rules for forming Sets
Sets are usually a combination of 3 or 4 cards of the same value but different suits. You can make sets with printed jokers or wildcard jokers. A regular set can have a maximum of 4 cards, since there are 4 different suits, and no suits can be repeated. But a set of more than four cards can also be formed using jokers. Making sets though is not mandatory to win a game of rummy.
Examples of Sets:
- K ♦️️️, K ♠️️, K ❤️, K ♣️️ - This is a complete set, which has all the kings of all four suits. If a player picks a card of any value and makes a set of all four suits, it is a complete set.
- K ♦️️️, K ♠️️, K ❤️ - This is a set and it can be used for a valid declaration as well.
- K ♦️️️, K ♠️️, K ❤️, K ❤️ - When playing with two standard decks of 52 cards, sometimes players might have two cards of the same value and the same suit. If they make a set with two cards of the same value and the same suit as shown in the example, it is considered an invalid set and will end in a wrong declaration.
- K ❤️, K ♠️️, Joker - When you complete a set of Kings with a printed joker card. This is considered valid during a declaration.
- K ♦️️️, K ♠️️, K ❤️, 3 ♠️️ - This set of kings is completed with the wildcard joker, which in this case is 3 of spades. This is also considered valid during a declaration.
- K ♦️️️, K ♠️️, K ❤️,K ♣️️, 3 ♠️️ - This set of kings is complete, but you can also add the wild card joker to this set. In this case, the wildcard joker is 3 ♠️, and the set will be considered valid during a declaration.
- K ♦️️️, K ♠️️, K ❤️, K ♣️️, 3 ♠️️ - Joker - This set of kings is complete, but it can also be completed with a wildcard joker and a printed joker. This combination will also be considered valid during a declaration.
Valid triplet:
A set of 7’s of different suits, no jokers used.
7♥️️️7♦️️7♠️️️️️Valid quadruplet:
All four 10s of different suits, no jokers used.
10♠️️️️️10♥️️️10♦️️10♣️️️️️️With a wild card joker:
Two kings, and a wild card joker 9♦️️.
K♣️️️️️️K♥️️️9♦️️With 2 jokers:
a set of 4s completed with a wild joker 6♣️, and a printed joker.
4♦️️6♣️️️️️️JOKER![Joker card]()
How to play rummy?
Rummy isn’t just a game - it is a battle of wits, timing, and strategy where every draw and discard can turn the balance of the game. Whether you are new to the game or a seasoned pro, understanding the basic flow of the game is the key difference between winning and losing.
- Player count: A standard game of 13 card rummy is played between 2-6 players.
- Deck setup: A standard 52-card deck is used, and in games with more than 2 players, multiple decks are used.
- Card distribution: Each player is dealt 13 cards at the start of the round.
- Joker selection: A random card is picked as a wildcard joker, and all other cards of that rank can be used as a substitute for any card in a set or sequence.
- Gameplay: Players take turns to either draw from the open pile or the closed deck. After each draw, one card has to be discarded to maintain a hand of 13 cards.
- Objective: Form valid sequences (at least one must be pure) from your hand of 13 cards. Make a valid declaration before any other player at the table to win.
How to play rummy on Rummyprime - gameplay
Here’s a step-by-step guide to playing your favourite rummy games on the Rummyprime app:
- Accessing the game: Start by downloading the Rummyprime app from the rummyprime website - www.rummyprime.com or visit the Google Play Store or the App Store on iOS to get the application.
- Log in or Sign up: To begin playing on the Rummyprime app, you need to either log in with your existing account or if you’re new, then click on Sign up and follow the instructions to register.
- Enter the lobby: Once you register and open the application, you will land in the game lobby. Here you can view the available rummy variants, check out the navigation bar at the bottom or go to your profile on the left.
Choosing your game type: Rummyprime offers three types of games to suit all players from beginners, to casual to pro players:
- Cash games: You can join cash rummy tables with a buy-in and win real cash prizes.
- Tournaments: Compete in rummy tournaments with bigger cash prize pools and against more opponents. These are scheduled events and you need to pre-register for them.
- Free practice games: Great for learning the game, and practicing your skills before jumping into cash games.
- Selecting a rummy variant: You can choose the type of rummy you wish to play from - Points rummy, Pool rummy, and Deals rummy. Each variant has its own format and prize structure.
- Gameplay: Once you choose a variant, and join a game, the table starts filling up with other players. After two - six players have joined, the game begins. 13 cards are dealt out to all participating players.
- Wild Joker: In every game of rummy, a randomly selected card is considered the wild card joker. All cards of the same rank become the wild card joker and can be used to substitute for any card while making valid sequences and sets.
How the play flows: Once the cards are dealt and the wild card joker is decided, the game begins.
- Players take turns in clockwise order.
- Each player has to pick a card from the closed deck or the discard pile (open deck).
- After picking, players have to discard one card to maintain 13 cards in hand at all times.
- The goal is to create valid sequences and sets. One pure sequence is mandatory.
- Once a valid hand of sets and sequences are created, players can hit the ‘declare’ button.
- The player to make a valid declaration first gets to win the game.
Pro rummy tips to outsmart your opponents
Rummy is an easy game to understand and play, especially because the rummy rules are simple and straightforward. But if you want to win consistently, it is not just about mastering the basics - it is about making smart moves from time to time. Understanding rummy game rules, sets the foundation for applying clever strategies
- Prioritise the pure sequence: According to rummy rules having a pure sequence is mandatory to make a valid declaration. So that should be your first objective - to form the pure sequence.
- Be cautious with the discard pile: The discard pile is an open deck visible to everyone. As you pick from this pile, you give away your strategy of what hand you are trying to make. The more you give away, the easier it will be for opponents to block your moves.
- Use jokers wisely: Jokers can replace any missing card in a set or sequence. But if you drop a joker which you don’t need, you block the next player from picking a card from the discard pile as dropped jokers cannot be picked. It disrupts their game in case they were looking for that particular card.
- Drop high-value cards early: If you are struggling to make sequences or sets, get rid of high point value cards like King, Queen, Jack and Ace. Even if you lose the round, the smart move is to minimize penalty points.
Also check: Rummy tips and strategies
Terms used in Indian rummy
If you’re entering the world of Indian rummy, understanding the key terms isn’t just helpful - it is essential. Rummy rules and terms guide everything from how you group cards to what it takes to declare and win. Knowing the difference between ‘drop’ and ‘discard’ in rummy is vital to winning and losing. Think of it this way, the better understanding of game terms, will help you to make faster and smarter decisions.
- Table/Lobby: The rummy table or lobby is the in-game table or game lobby where the game is played. 2-6 players can play on this table at a time.
- Printed Joker and Wildcard Joker: There is one printed joker used in a standard 52-card deck of rummy and another joker is randomly selected from the cards after all cards have been dealt before the start of a game. This randomly selected wildcard joker also has the same powers as the printed joker and can be used to form sets or impure sequences.
- Draw and Discard: In a standard game of rummy after the cards have been dealt, there are two piles from which players can draw fresh cards - The open deck and the discard pile. All players must draw a card and use it to form sets and sequences, but have to discard a card after each draw keeping the number of cards in hand to 13 always.
- Card Sorting: Sorting is an option that players can use at the start of a game to put their cards in order after the 13 cards have been dealt. That way the cards are already placed on their way to form sets and sequences and it is easier to understand and not get mixed up.
Drop: If a player feels that they were not dealt decent cards and it is really difficult to form sets or sequences during the game, they can choose to drop that hand. This is basically an act of quitting the game.
This personal choice has a penalty attached to it - if the player is dropping their hand at the start of the game, they are penalized 20 points, in the middle of the game it is 40 and at the end of the game it is 80 points.
However in 61 Pool rummy games, the penalty is 15 points for first drop and 30 for mid-drop.
Invalid Declaration: An invalid declaration happens when a player hits the declare button without having proper sets and sequences. This results in the player making the declaration losing the game.
Types of Invalid Declaration:
Wrong set:
In this case the set needs to be 3-4 cards of the same value but different suits. But, the player made a mistake by completing the set with two king of hearts and thereby made the declaration invalid.
K♦️️K♠️️️️️K♥️️️K♥️️️Only sets:
In this case this is an invalid declaration as per the rules. The player has only made sets and the game of Rummy demands both sets and sequences in a valid declaration, inclusive of one pure sequence.
K♦️️K♠️️️️️K♥️️️3♦️️3♠️️️️️3♥️️️7♦️️7♠️️️️️JOKER![Joker card]()
Q♦️️Q♠️️️️️Q♥️️️Q♣️️️️️️No pure sequence:
In this case there are sets and sequences, but the sequence is impure with a printed joker in it. This declaration is invalid because the rules of rummy demand that there be a pure sequence.
K♦️️K♠️️️️️K♥️️️2♠️️️️️3♠️️️️️JOKER![Joker card]()
7♦️️7♠️️️️️JOKER![Joker card]()
Q♦️️Q♠️️️️️Q♥️️️Q♣️️️️️️
Rummy rules for joker cards
In rummy, joker cards play a crucial role in helping players complete valid sets and sequences. They act as substitutes for missing cards, making it easier to declare a valid hand. Both printed and wild card jokers have zero points, which makes them valuable in reducing the hand score.
Printed Joker: A printed joker is a card with the joker symbol printed on it. In the game, it can replace any card in a set or sequence, except the pure sequence.
Example: If you have 5♦️️️️ and 6♦️️️️, but you are missing 7♦️️️️, then the printed joker can be used to substitute for the missing card to complete the sequence - 5♦️️️️-6♦️️️️-Joker.
Wild Card Joker: At the start of each game, one card is randomly selected to be the wild card joker (e.g., 8♣️). All cards of this rank, regardless of suit, will be considered as a joker during that round and can be used just like the printed joker.
Special Case: If the wild card joker naturally fits into a sequence of its own suit, it can be used to make a pure sequence.
Example: Suppose 7♠️is the wild card joker, and you have 6♠️, 7♠️, 8♠️. Even if 7♠️ is the wild card joker, it still fits into the pure sequence perfectly.
Rummy rules: discard, drop, group and show
Understanding the rummy rules regarding ‘discard’, ‘drop’ and ‘show’ are essential to the gameplay. These rules not only guide your actions, but also shape your overall strategy.
Discard: In rummy game rules, discarding is the act of placing one card in the discard pile at the end of your turn. This is how players get rid of cards that do not contribute to a potential set or sequence. Discarding helps to refine your hand, as well as reduce penalty points.
Drop: According to rummy rules, a player can choose to drop or quit the game if they feel that their initial hand is weak. This is known as ‘first drop’, and it comes with a fixed penalty - typically 20 points in 13 card rummy. Dropping helps to avoid higher penalties, if you are unable to form sets or sequences.
Show: When you’re ready to declare, the show is your final move. According to rummy game rules, you must have two sequences, one of which has to be a pure sequence and the rest can be sets. During show, players reveal their hand for validation, if invalidated then there will be a full penalty.
Ranks and card values
In rummy, each card carries a fixed rank and point value - number cards hold face value, face cards (K,Q,J and Ace) all carry 10 points each. These values are crucial for forming valid sets and sequences, where order and grouping matter. They’re equally vital in score calculation, as ungrouped cards add to a player’s penalty points.
Rummy rules for different variations
Though the main rummy rules are consistent across all formats, but there are some difference between Points, Pool and Deals rummy. Let’s look at the comparison in the table below:
| Criteria | Points Rummy | Pool Rummy | Deals Rummy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Format | Single-round game. | Multiple rounds until a player crosses points threshold. | Fixed number of deals (rounds). |
| Scoring | Each point has a pre-decided monetary value. | Points add up, the aim is to stay below the cut-off. | Players are given chips, scores are tracked per deal. |
| Duration | Fastest format. | Longer format. | Medium duration depending on the number of deals. |
| Winning Criteria | First to declare a valid hand wins. | Last player remaining under the point limit wins. | Player with the most chip count after all deals are played wins. |
| Elimination | No elimination, one winner per round. | Players get eliminated on reaching 61, 101 or 201 points. | No elimination until all deals get played. |
| Skill Involvement | Quick decision-making and speed. | Strategic long-format eliminations. | Balanced mix of strategy and timing. |
Rummy rules for valid declaration: possible combinations
| Pure Sequence | Impure Sequence | Set 1 & Set 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Must make one | Not a must (Can use to get the two sequences required) | Not a must (Can make if you have the required cards) |
| Make with 3 or more cards | Make with 3 or more cards | Made with 3-4 cards using the suited cards, or up to 7 cards using the wildcard joker and printed jokers |
| Cards of different values but same suits in consecutive order | Cards of different values but same suits in consecutive order. Make with printed or wildcard jokers | Cards have to be of the same value but different suits (Example: Q ♦️️, Q ♠️, Q ❤️ Q ♣️) |
| Must not include printed or wildcard joker, unless the wildcard joker fits into the sequence naturally. | Can include printed or a wildcard joker | Can include printed or a wildcard joker |
Calculation of points in Indian rummy
The calculation of how points are added to the losing player’s total:
| If the player fails to make 2 sequences, including a pure sequence | Points of all the cards are added. |
| If the player has 2 sequences, inclusive of a pure sequence | Then the sum value of all the remaining cards that are not made into sets or sequences |
| Invalid declaration | 80 points |
| Dropping at the start | 20 points |
| Dropping in the middle | 40 points |
| Missing 3 consecutive turns | This is considered as dropping in between and 40 points are added as penalty |
| Leaving the table in game | If the player leaves without picking a card, then 20 points. If the player leaves after picking cards, then 40 points |
The calculation of points for all players after a player has won:
We will consider Q to be the wild card joker in the scenarios mentioned below.
| Player | Sets & Sequences Formed | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 ♦️️, 3 ♦️️, 4 ♦️️ | 5 ♠️, 6 ♠️, Q ♥️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️ | 8 ♦️️, 8 ♠️, Q ♦️️ |5 ♥️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️ | 2 ♥️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️, 2 ♠️ | K ♠️ | In this scenario Queen is the wild card joker| This player has managed 1 pure and 1 impure sequence. The penalty points of ungrouped cards = 19 |
| 2 | 4 ♠️ 4 ♥️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️ 4 ♣️️️️️️️️️️️️ | 4 ♦️️ 5 ♦️️ Q ♦️️ | 7 ♠️ 8 ♠️ Q ♦️️ | K ♦️️ | 10 ♣️️️️️️️️️️️️ 9 ♣️️️️️️️️️️️️ | 3 ♠️ | In this case the Queen is a wild card joker that has been used to make impure sequences. But as there are no pure sequences, hence the player will face a penalty of 68 points. Jokers count as 0, even without pure sequence. |
| 3 | 2 ♥️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️3 ♥️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️ 4 ♥️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️ | 5 ♣️️️️️️️️️️️️ 6 ♣️️️️️️️️️️️️ 7 ♣️️️️️️️️️️️️ | 5 ♣️️️️️️️️️️️️ 5 ♥️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️Q ♦️️ | 2 ♦️️ 2 ♣️️️️️️️️️️️️ | K ♠️|8 ♦️️ | This player has 1 set and 2 valid sequences. Hence the penalty points of the ungrouped cards = 22 |
| 4 | A ♥️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️ 4 ♥️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️ 5 ♥️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️ | 5 ♣️️️️️️️️️️️️ 6 ♣️️️️️️️️️️️️ 10 ♣️️️️️️️️️️️️ J ♦️️ | 8 ♦️️ 5 ♣️️️️️️️️️️️️ | 2 ♦️️ 2 ♣️️️️️️️️️️️️ Q ♥️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️ | K ♠️ | This player dropped out at the start of the game. Hence first drop penalty points = 20 |
| 5 | 4 ♠️ 4 ♥️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️ 4 ♣️️️️️️️️️️️️ | 4 ♦️️ 5 ♦️️ Q ♦️️ | A ♠️ 7 ♠️ 8 ♠️ | Q ♦️️ K ♦️️ | J ♣️️️️️️️️️️️️ 9 ♣️️️️️️️️️️️️ | Missed three turns back-to-back, hence penalty points = 40 |
| 6 | 2 ♥️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️ 3 ♥️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️ 4 ♥️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️ | 5 ♣️️️️️️️️️️️️ 6 ♣️️️️️️️️️️️️ 7 ♣️️️️️️️️️️️️ Q ♦️️ | 5 ♦️️ 5 ♣️️️️️️️️️️️️ 5 ♥️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️ | 2 ♦️️ 2 ♣️️️️️️️️️️️️ 2 ♥️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️ | A perfect hand of sets and sequences, inclusive of one pure sequence. Winner! |
Calculations of winning amount in real cash rummy
Players can now play their favorite Rummy variants in a competitive online environment for real cash prizes. Rummy Apps like Rummyprime offer real cash rummy, giving the players an opportunity to use their Rummy skills for big wins. But, how are the cash prizes calculated in the different variants of rummy, let’s have a look:
Calculations of winning amount in Points rummy
In Points rummy the winning amount is calculated on a pre-decided cash value attached to each point won or lost by players. In a 6 player game, the winner gets all the money lost by the five other players.
Example: If the pre-decided value is Rs.2 per point and the five players who lost that round, they received penalty points of 45, 75, 23, 20 and 40. Then the winner will get 2 x (45+75+23+20+40) = 406 rupees as the winning amount.
Calculations of winning amount in Pool rummy
The calculations in Pool rummy are simple as the players have to pay a buy-in fee for the particular table and that forms the prize pool for that cash rummy table.
Example: There are 6 players and the buy-in fee for this particular game is Rs.50 per person. Then the player who wins the game gets the entire prize pool which is 50 x 6 = 300 rupees as the winning amount.
Calculations of winning amount in Deals rummy
In Deals rummy, all players play a fixed amount of deals. At the start of the first deal, every player gets the same amount of chips. At the end of the pre-decided number of deals, the player with the most chips will win the game.
There is no rupee value attached to chips. You just get the chips of other players according to the number of points they lose by. And, at the end of a pre-decided number of deals, the player with the maximum chips wins the game and gets the prize pool amount - platform fee as winnings.
FAQs on rummy rules
1. What are the basic rummy rules?
Form valid sets and sequences with 13 cards. One pure sequence is mandatory. Draw and discard cards wisely to refine your hand, and be the first to make a valid declaration.
2. What are the rummy game rules for sequences?
A valid rummy hand needs two sequences - one must be pure (5♠️ 6♠️ 7♠️). A pure sequence is a run of three or more consecutive cards of the same suit. The impure can include a joker (8♣️, 🃏, 10♣️).
3. What are the rummy game rules for discarding and picking cards?
Pick one card from the open or closed pile, then discard one to the open pile, always maintaining 13 cards in hand. Don’t discard useful cards and reveal your strategy.
4. How to play rummy with joker cards and what are the rules for using them?
Jokers substitute missing cards in sets or impure sequences. You must still form the mandatory pure sequence without using jokers. Use printed jokers and wild jokers wisely, as they can boost the potential of forming sequences.
5. What are the rummy game rules for making a valid set?
A valid set has three or four cards of the same rank but different suits. Jokers can substitute for missing cards in sets.
6. Are there any rummy rules for the last card discard?
Yes, in rummy you must form a valid hand with 13 cards and discard the 14th to declare. If you use all cards in combinations, discard one to finish. No discard means invalid declaration even with valid sets and sequences.
7. Can we use 2 jokers to create a set in a game of rummy?
Yes, you can use two jokers in a set, but at least one card has to be a natural card of that rank.
8. What are the consequences of an invalid declaration by a player?
An invalid declaration results in a penalty of 80 points, the maximum loss in rummy. Even if sets or sequences are in order, one mistake - like missing a pure sequence - can cost big.
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Devendra Soni
Rummyprime has explained the rules so clearly so there is no room for confusion now. From pure sequences to joker usage and sets, everything is broken down step by step. The visuals really helped too. Earlier, I was just guessing without understanding the rules properly. Now I play with confidence.
Tushar Sharma
This guide cleared up a lot of doubts I had. I understood the difference between pure and impure sequences clearly. The info is super easy to follow, even if you are completely new to rummy.
