How To Play Rummy Card Game: A Guide To Rummy Rules

In the rummy game , the objective is to form combinations (all sequences or sequences and sets) with the 13 cards in your hand and make a valid declaration before your opponents do. You must make sequences and sets for a valid declaration to play rummy like a professional. You can make several valid declarations: 2 sequences and 2 sets, 3 sequences and 1 set, or all cards in different sequences.

According to the rules of rummy, you must make at least two sequences to have a valid declaration. Moreover, at least one of the sequences must be a pure sequence. You will lose the hand by a significant margin if you declare without a pure sequence. All the card points in your hand will be added to calculate your penalty points.

Rules of Rummy For A Valid Declaration

Valid Declaration

To make a valid declaration in the game of rummy, you must arrange all 13 cards in your hand, either in sequence or in sequences and sets. Once you have arranged your cards, discard the last unwanted card into the "Finish" slot and declare your hand to finish the game. The player who makes the first valid declaration wins and receives zero points.

To make a valid declaration, you must satisfy the following three conditions:

• Pure Sequence: In the rummy set rules, you need one pure sequence of at least three consecutive cards to win. Without a pure sequence, any declaration made is considered invalid, and the player loses by a margin equivalent to the total value of all the cards in their hand.
  It is important to note that a printed joker cannot be used as a substitute for any card in a pure sequence. However, a wild joker can form a pure sequence if it is a part of the same suit.
• Second Sequence: Forming at least two sequences is necessary to make a valid declaration in rummy. Along with the mandatory pure sequence, you need a second sequence, which can be either pure or impure. Players can create more than two sequences if they wish.
• Arrange all the cards in your hand that are not part of the mandatory two sequences in either sequences or sets to make a valid declaration in rummy. While forming a set or sequence is optional, all cards must be part of a valid combination.

Examples

Invalid Declaration

A declaration is deemed invalid if it does not fulfill any of the three conditions mentioned above. Making an invalid declaration will result in an instant loss. The other players will keep playing until one of them makes a valid declaration. Below are some examples of invalid declarations.

Examples

Points Calculations in a Rummy Game

Different Cards Value for Point Calculation

Printed/Wild Joker: 0 points

Numbered Cards (2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9): Face Value

Picture Cards (J, Q, K, A): 10 points

Point Calculation During A Rummy Hand

Invalid declaration: -80 points

First drop (Before picking your first card): -20 points

Middle drop (After picking your first card): -40 points

3 consecutive turns missed: -40 points

Declaring a valid hand first: 0 points

Declaring a valid hand second: -2 points

Examples

Player 1 and Player 2 are playing a points rummy game. According to rummy rules, Player 1 makes a valid declaration, wins the game and gets zero points.

Player 1 (Winner)

Player 2

Player 2 has created three combinations: a pure sequence, and 2 sets. He is also left with 4 ungrouped cards i.e. 2♦-3♦, Q♣-Q♥, after Player 1 has declared. So he will get a penalty of 25 points (2+3+10+10).