Types of Rummy

Out of all the playing card games, Rummy has to be one of the most popular ones. Why not? The game is an amazing blend of smartness, memory, and luck, unlike most other casino games that purely depend on luck. Due to this popularity, you will find Rummy in almost all top casinos around the world. But of course, since a lot of places do not have access to live casinos, Rummy and its plentiful variations exist on top online casino gambling sites as well. The original version of Rummy itself promises a lot of fun, the variations take the game to a whole new level.

Excited to know the different variations? Continue reading about the variations of Rummy.

The 13 – Card Rummy

It is commonly known as Indian Rummy and is the most popular variation of the game in India. The 13-card Rummy is believed to be inspired and extended from the Rummy 500 and Gin Rummy. It is commonly played between 2 and 6 players, and each player is dealt with 13 cards. The objective of the game is to form sets and sequences using the 13 cards that they have. In order to facilitate the creation of sets and sequences, the player can draw cards from the draw pile or discard unwanted cards to the discard pile.

In this version of Rummy, the player can use the Joker card as well which acts as a substitute card. In order for the player to declare (by calling out Rummy), there has to be at least one pure sequence (formed without the Joker card) and one impure sequence (formed with the Joker card). Note that every card carries points – the aces and the face cards have 10 points each, the points of the number cards are the same as the number printed on them, and for the Joker card, the points are zero. The game for the player ends when the cards are meld and the points reduce to zero.

An example of a pure sequence is 2 of hearts, 3 of hearts, and 4 of hearts. An example of an impure sequence is a 7 of spades, 8 of spades, and a Joker card. There are three sub-variations of this Indian Rummy, which you will find on various online sites. They are detailed below:

• Points Rummy – The simplest and compact variation of the Indian Rummy, each game lasts for only a few minutes. In Online Rummy, players can choose this variation and select tables that have a monetary value associated with each point. For instance, INR 0.10 per point or even INR 100 per point. Once the player declares and the game is done, the winnings are calculated and provided to the player.

• Deals Rummy – As the name suggests, the variation contains a fixed deal number. At the start of the game, every player gets an equal number of chips. Once a deal is done, the players surrender their chips to the winner of the deal. When all the deals are completed, each player gets a rank that is dependent on the number of chips they have. Accordingly, they are paid out.

• Pool Rummy – The players pool in money and each one is eliminated when they collect either 101 points or 201 points. The last player standing is the winner.

Rummy 500

This is another popular variant of Rummy. Depending on where it is played, the variant is also called Rum 500 or Persian Rummy. Although there can be 2-8 players who can play the game, the ideal number is 3-5 players. Every player gets 7 cards and the remaining cards form part of the stockpile.

The player who reaches 500 points first becomes the winner. Like other variations of Rummy, there is no strict rule that players only have to draw the top-most card from the stockpile. If they want to reach a card lower down the pile, they can take out more than one card. This increases complexity and there is extensive strategy required for Rummy 500 games.

Gin Rummy

Although the variation is played less in India, it is popular in other parts of the world, also because it is one of the simplest variations of Rummy. Gin Rummy is played most among the Europeans. Only two players play this game, and each player is dealt with 10 cards. Out of these 10 cards, they have to make at least 3 sets and/or sequences.

There is one Joker card used. The face cards have 10 points, the Ace card has just 1 point and the face cards have the same value as the number printed on them. The restriction in Gin Rummy is that the sequences must belong to the same suit.

Oklahoma Rummy

Another popular variation of Rummy can be played with 2, 3, or 4 players. As the name suggests, this form of Rummy is more popular in America. To play Oklahoma Rummy, you need one standard deck of cards that has a Joker card that is randomly picked. If the game is played between 2 players, each of them is dealt with 10 cards. For a larger number of players, each player gets dealt with 7 cards.

The Ace cards have 1 point, the number cards have the same points as the number printed on them, and the face cards carry 10 points. The player needs to meld the card. The one who finishes/gets away with all cards is deemed the winner of the game.

Dummy Rummy

First created in the United States, this variation of Rummy is played in multiple parts of the world. It is very much loved because of the fast-paced gameplay and simplicity of its rules. A minimum of 2 players and a maximum of 4 players can play this game. There are a total of two standard decks of cards used with 4 Jokers in total. Every player is given 13 cards, and the number 2 cards are considered to be wild card Joker cards.

The objective of the player is to create melds that are valid from the list of 12 possible meld combinations. The first player who finishes creating melds of all their cards is the winner.

Marriage Rummy

This popular variant of Rummy is played between 2 players and 5 players. Marriage Rummy is more popular in India, Nepal, and Bhutan. The game does not use any printed Joker cards, but rather only wild card jokers. Every player is dealt with 21 cards and they have to form melds, with each meld consisting of 3 cards.

There are a total of 9 types of melds that you can form with the 21 cards. The player can pick the cards from the draw pile to assist in making their melds. If the player needs to get rid of any card, they can place it on the discard pile (which is shown face up next to the draw pile). In this variation of Rummy, you can only pick the topmost card from the draw pile.

Conclusion

These are some of the variations of Rummy available on many online casino sites. There are even more versions that are localized and available only in specific countries. Such is the popularity of online Rummy. When you play Rummy, play responsibly especially if there is real money involved. Always keep a fixed budget, and stick to it. Do not be emotional if you win or lose, as this can hamper your decision ability with respect to managing your money.


Also Read Rummy Sequence Tips: How to Play Rummy And Win!

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