4 Variations of the Rummy Game That You Should Know About

A game full of skill,

Where everybody got no chill.

A game where you make sequences and sets,

When someone declares, your mind starts to fret.

A game that makes you bluffs,

When players play rough.

A game that rewards the best,

And puts your mind to the test.

A game that rhymes with mummy,

Yes, you guessed it right! It’s rummy!

Rummy is touted as the most popular card game of all time. It is very easy to learn and play and offers a healthy dose of entertainment to all players. What makes it even more entertaining is that it comes in several different formats and variations. Despite having a common objective, these games have a few differentiators that make them quite popular among card game lovers.

We have compiled a list of 4 popular variants of the rummy game that you need to know about.

1. 13-card rummy

Also known as Indian rummy or paplu, this version of rummy is well-known among Indian card lovers. As the name suggests, it is played using 13 cards (dealt to each player) and comes in different formats and variations. Two to six players play the game using one or two card decks. In this variation, jokers act as a trump card and can be used as a replacement for any missing card in a combination. 

The 13-card rummy rules are very simple. Once the cards have been dealt, the remaining cards make up the closed deck. One card is picked from the closed deck and placed face-up at the center of the table, forming the open deck. As the game begins, players pick a card from the open deck or the closed deck and discard an unwanted card to the open deck on their turn. The process continues until a player arranges his/her cards into all the required combinations and makes a declaration. If the declaration is valid, the player wins the game and gets zero points.

2. Oklahoma rummy

Also known as Arlington, Oklahoma rummy is played by two to eight players using one or two card decks without jokers. Just like Indian rummy, the number of cards dealt to each player in this variant is 13 and its objective is similar to that of the classic rummy game. However, while meeting the objective, the player has to reach a total of 1000 points to win the game. In some variations of Oklahoma rummy, the game lasts for 7 rounds where the top scorer at the end of the last round wins the game.

Just like canasta, this game allows players to pick the entire discard pile. The queen of spades is worth extra points, which can be either good or bad. When the game ends, the players get additional points for creating the required combinations, which are then subtracted from the ungrouped cards in their hands. The winner of the game also gets bonus points. 

3. Shanghai rummy

Shanghai rummy belongs to the contract family of rummy games. It was believed to be played in China for the first time. The gameplay of this variant is simple and quite similar to the original contract variant. Usually, two to four players play the game using one or two card decks. The number of cards dealt to each player is 11. This game lasts for 10 deals.

In Shanghai rummy, players can opt to “buy” cards, which involves drawing and discarding cards even when it is not their turn. However, the player is allowed to buy only “2” cards. Jokers also play an important role in this game and they are used to create a set of 3 cards or a sequence of 4 cards. 

4. Gin rummy

Gin rummy has been one of the most prominent variants of rummy played worldwide. Almost every rummy variant has evolved from Gin rummy. The game is usually played by two players using a single card deck. Unlike Indian rummy, jokers are not used in this variation.

In this variant, each player is dealt 10 cards in hand. After the cards have been dealt, the first 21 cards are placed face-up to make the discard pile and the remaining cards are placed face-down to make the stockpile. Unlike in Indian rummy, the ace is a low-value card that is worth only one point in gin. Therefore, creating a sequence out of an ace-king and queen is not possible in this variant. 

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