How to Play Rummy: Card Game Rules and Scoring

Use one or two standard 52-card decks plus jokers (one or two per deck). Deal 13 cards each. A random card is the wild joker for the round; its same-rank cards across suits also act as jokers. Players draw one card from the stock or discard pile and discard one each turn. A sequence is three or more consecutive cards of the same suit; a set is three or four cards of the same rank in different suits.

Melds: a pure sequence has no joker (e.g., 4-5-6 of hearts); an impure sequence uses a joker to substitute a missing card (e.g., 4-joker-6 of hearts). A set is three or four same-rank cards of different suits (e.g., three 7s of different suits; using two 7s of the same suit is invalid). To declare, you must have all 13 cards arranged in valid melds including at least one pure sequence. Some rules require two sequences total. Jokers may not replace a card inside a pure sequence. After a valid declaration, opponents tally penalty points: face cards and 10s = 10 each, others = their face value, jokers = 0; the winner scores 0. A full round cap (often 80 or 100 points) ends the game.

Myth: any sequence wins. Fact: you need a pure sequence (no joker) or your declaration is invalid. Myth: jokers can form a pure sequence. Fact: a pure sequence must be made of natural cards only. Myth: a set can have two cards of the same suit. Fact: a set needs same rank, different suits; duplicate suits are not allowed.

1. Deal 13 cards to each player from the shuffled deck(s). 2. Turn one card up as the wild joker for the round. 3. On your turn, draw from stock or discard pile, then discard one card. 4. Arrange your hand into a pure sequence first, then other sequences and sets. 5. When all 13 cards are validly melded, declare (and, in app play, discard the final card to finish). 6. Opponents score penalty points from remaining cards; the winner scores zero. 7. First to reach the points cap loses the game, or play to a fixed number of deals.