Rummy is a strategy card game where the objective is to make the best possible combinations of the hand dealt to the player. This is done by forming rummy sets and sequences before making a declaration. In rummy, the value of all face cards is worth 10 points, while the numbered cards are worth points corresponding to their face value.
The most popular rummy variation in India is the 13 card rummy, also known as ‘Indian Rummy’. It is played between 2 to 6 players, and 13 cards are dealt to each player to start the game. In Indian Rummy, the player needs a minimum of two rummy sequences to win the game, where one sequence mandatorily needs to be a pure sequence. The second rummy sequence can either be a pure or an impure sequence.
In addition to sequences, the player can also form sets with his given hand. A set is basically a group of three or four cards with the same rank but of different suits. Players can make use of the joker to form their sets.
e.g. 7♦7♣7♥
To win a game of rummy, Joker is a very important card to have. Except in the mandatory pure sequence, a joker can be used to form the remaining combinations, be it a sequence or a set. There are two types of jokers in rummy. The first one is the joker that comes with the deck, also called the 'printed joker'. The second one is the wild card joker where a designated card is used as a joker for the entirety of the game. It is also known as the 'cut joker'.
e.g. 8♥8♠PJ
Here, the printed joker is used to complete the set.
e.g. 5♦6♦Q8♦
Here, Queen, which is the designated joker for the game, is used to complete the impure sequence. The Queen takes the place of 7♦.
Rummy on MPL can be played on the mobile app, which is available on both iOS and Android. Once logged in, the user can tap on the rummy icon to see different rummy variants available on MPL. Once you have selected the variant, enter the rummy table of your choice. While playing Rummy on MPL, the user can choose to play between three of the most popular rummy types in India, i.e. Points Rummy, Pool Rummy and Deals Rummy. Click here to read more about the rules of the rummy game.
Achieving the required combinations before anyone else is the key to winning a game of rummy. The same is done by a series of ‘draws’ and ‘discards’. Every turn, the player can draw a card by selecting either the topmost card from the closed deck or the card that was discarded in the previous turn. Once the card has been drawn, the player must drop one card from his hand into the discard pile. Any discard in rummy will be kept face-up.
The Rummy Declare Rules state that once a player has arranged his hand into combinations of sets and sequences, he can declare the game. At this point, the player will be allotted a time frame to meld in cards into the combinations, post which the combinations are validated before announcing the winner.
As mentioned, in rummy, each card carries a certain number of points. The losing player gets points corresponding to the total value of all cards in his/her hand. If the losing player fails to make the two mandatory sequences, the value of all cards is added, capped at 80 points. If the player has formed two sequences including a pure sequence, the value of cards not in any combination is calculated.
In online rummy, a player also needs to be vary of drops, i.e. leaving the table before the game is over. A player can choose to withdraw from the game in his very first turn, it is called the ‘first drop’. The player will get 20 points for the first drop. If a player opts to exit the game afterwards, it is termed as ‘middle drop’. A player gets 40 points for a middle drop.
Player with no combinations in his hand
Value of all cards is added, capped at 80 points
Player with two sequences, including one pure sequence
Value of cards that are not in any combination are added
Invalid Declaration
80 points
First Drop
20 points
Middle Drop
40 points
In online rummy, the three of the most popular variations are Points Rummy, Pool Rummy and Deals Rummy. Points Rummy is the most basic rummy variation, where players play for points with a pre-decided-rupee value.
In Pool Rummy, the players in the table pool-in a certain sum as prize money to start the game. The two popular variations are 101 and 201 Pool Rummy. In each of the two types, the player first to score 101/201 points gets eliminated. The last remaining player on the table wins the game.
Deals Rummy is essentially a game of Points Rummy that is played for a fixed number of deals/games. It is important to learn the different rummy variations as it helps to understand how the winning is calculated in each of the three variations.
Point Rummy
Winning Amount = (Sum of all points that opponents lost) x (Pre-decided rupee value of points) – MPL fee
Pools Rummy
Winning Amount = (Entry Fee Amount) x (Number of Players) – MPL fee
Deals Rummy
Winning Amount = (Entry Fee Amount) x (Number of Players) – MPL fee