When we think of a rummy game we think of the 13 card game, popularly known as Indian Rummy. The game involves arranging cards in sets and sequences. The aim is to form valid sets and sequences using the cards. As per rummy rules, a player has to make sure that he/she has one pure sequence and the other one can be a valid set or sequence. A valid declaration (rummy hand) is made when you have a pure sequence.

A score in a rummy game is the total value or sum of all the cards that are not included in a valid set or sequence. Players need to try to keep their score to a minimum of zero. To do this, they have to make sure they only form valid sets and sequences.

• Face cards like K, Q, J and the Ace card are all worth 10 points in a rummy game.
• While cards like 2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10 have points equal to their rank.
• The joker cards are the only ones who have a point value of zero.

To play a rummy game, all players need to be seated around a table and a dealer is selected at random. Any of the players can become a dealer and can take turns in doing so.

1. Shuffle and Deal: Here the two decks of cards are shuffled and will be distributed among the players. Each player will be dealt a total of 13 cards.


2. Open Card: After every player has been dealt, the dealer will then pick the top card from the pile. This card will then be placed face up on the table and the game will commence.
   Note: The open card can be used by the first player to start if he or she wishes to do so.


3. Joker Card: While there are already two printed jokers present, the dealer will then proceed to select a wild card joker. He does this by picking out a random card from the remaining deck. Whichever card that comes up will then become the wild card joker. For example, if an Ace card is picked, then all Ace cards in the game will become a joker. After this the game begins.


4. Drawing and Discarding Cards: When a player gets their turn, they have an option to either pick out a card from the close deck or the open deck. Once they pick out a card, they then have to discard a card which he/she has onto the open deck.
   Note: There should be 13 cards in the player's hand after their turn.


5. Declaring: To get a valid declaration, all the 13 cards in the player's hand must be arranged in the correct sets and sequences. There needs to be at least one pure sequence in the player’s hand.
   After this, the 14th card that the player needs to discard has to be put in the finish slot. In doing so, a player has announced that they have made all the necessary combinations first and this concludes the first round of the game.

There can be multiple rounds in a rummy game as long as the players are willing to play the game. However, once a round begins, players cannot leave the table and if they still wish to do so may end up losing points. So, the best time to leave a game, if one wishes to do so, is before the next round begins.

This game is believed to be an evolved form of ‘Conquian’ which is a game that has originated in Spain or Mexico. There is no definite answer to the question of the game’s origin, but rummy lovers across the world have enjoyed this game in its evolved version. Many believe that the rummy game originated in Spain and the native Spanish people took the game with them to America when they migrated somewhere around the 19th century.
Today there are many variants of the rummy game played across the world. In India, many online rummy platforms offer Pool, Points and Deals Rummy. Other variations of the rummy game are 500 Rummy (Persian Rummy), Kalooki Rummy, Oklahoma Rummy, Canasta, Gin, Contract Rummy, Shanghai Rummy and Dummy Rummy.

Many people in the Asian continent believe that rummy has a link to the Chinese game called Mahjong. This game exists from a thousand years ago and rummy players believe that rummy evolved from Mahjong as this game too follows the pick and drop of cards. This game took on another name of Khanhoo or Kon Khin during the 19th century.
Rummy was also popular in Hungary where the newspapers reported about the game post World War one. It was widely believed that this game was played in cafes and was thoroughly enjoyed by the Hungarian population.
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