13 Card Rummy (also known as Indian Rummy) is quite popular in India. People play it during family gatherings and festivals to bond and create memories. So, if you have been feeling left out and wish to defeat your cousins, then continue reading for more information below.
Understanding the Essentials of 13 Card Rummy
Whether a beginner or an expert, you won’t take too long to understand 13 Card Rummy. However, you might take some time to master it if you’re a beginner. The Rummy game involves a
i) Group of two to six players
ii) One to two decks of playing cards (depending on the number of players)
iii) Combination of strategy and skill.
You must group a valid combination of cards to win the game and ensure they carry the lowest points.
However, before you play this Rummy game, you should understand some of its key terms from the table below:
|
Term |
What It Means |
|
Melding/Meld/Melding |
Forming a group of cards. |
|
Sets |
A group of three or more cards with the same rank or face value.
Example A group of three Number Five Cards forms a set. |
|
Sequences |
A combination of three or more consecutive cards of the same suit.
Example A group of Four, Five, Six, and Seven of Spades forms a sequence. |
|
Pure Sequence |
A group of 3+ consecutive cards of the same suit (that do not include a Joker). Example A group of Two, Three, Four, and Five of Spades forms a pure sequence. |
|
Impure Sequence |
A group of three or more consecutive cards of the same suit, including a Joker.
Example A group of Joker, and Two, Four, and Five of Spades forms a pure sequence.
In the above example, the Joker substitutes the missing Number Three of Spades card.
However, you cannot use two Joker cards consecutively. |
|
High-Value cards |
Refers to the King, Queen, Jack and Ace cards. |
|
Low-value cards |
Refers to the cards from Number Two to Number Nine |
|
Deadwood cards |
Those you cannot group into valid sets or sequences at the end of a game. |
|
Drawing |
When you take a card from the draw or discard pile |
|
Discarding |
When you remove a card from your hand and add it to the discard pile because it is a high-value card or an undesirable card. |
|
Draw Pile |
Refers to the pile of cards from which the players can take cards during each round to meld cards. |
|
Discard Pile |
Refers to the pile of cards from which the players can take cards or add to during each round to meld cards |
|
Declaring |
Calling out “Rummy” to end the game when you have either melded all cards into sequences or sets or discarded your last card onto the discard pile. |
Setting Up The Game
First you have to select a dealer. This person will shuffle the deck and hand cards to each player.
All of you should draw one card each from your deck of cards. The player who draws the card with the lowest value becomes the dealer for the Online Rummy match or game.
The dealer will then hand thirteen cards to each player. The remaining group of cards will become the draw pile. The topmost card from this pile will be kept face up to form the discard pile.
Playing a Round of 13 Card Rummy
The game starts when the person on the immediate left of the dealer draws a card from the discard/draw pile. If you draw from the discard pile, you must discard one of your cards and add it to that pile.
During each round, you must either draw or discard a card and meld them into valid sequences or sets. You should aim to meld low-value cards together or go for pure sequences since they carry fewer points or 0 points.
If you have managed to discard all your deadwood cards or have melded your cards into valid sets or sequences at the end of the round, you can declare and tally your points.
The values that each card holds in 13 Card Rummy can be seen in the table below:
|
Type of card |
Points it holds |
|
King, Queen, Jack and Ace |
10 points |
|
Joker |
0 points |
|
Number Two to Number Nine cards |
2,3,4,5,6,6,7,8,9 |
As we mentioned previously, a pure sequence carries 0 points in a 13 Card Online Rummy match or game. Apart from that, if you leave the game:
i) Before you draw any cards: You will get a penalty of 20 points
ii) After you draw a card: You will get a penalty of 40 points
Additionally, you will be removed from the game if you miss three turns consecutively and get a penalty of 40 points.
Remember that the maximum penalty for losing the game is 80 points.
So if you wish to avoid this possibility, look at the sections below.
Strategies for Creating Perfect Sets and Sequences
You should remember the following things if you wish to win a game of 13 Card Rummy.
Firstly, you should build a pure sequence as quickly as possible. To do so, you should watch for consecutive cards of a particular suit. One of the ways in which you can do this is by separating your red and black coloured cards to be able to see them.
We recommend grouping a balanced combination of high and low-value cards like Aces, Jack and cards from Number Two to Number Nine. Also, you should avoid using jokers except to form an impure sequence in this Rummy game.
Remember that you have to form two or more sequences, one of which is a pure sequence. Furthermore, you should not use Joker cards if you have them all in the deck, as they are wildcards.
You should only use Jokers to meld your cards into a valid sequence or set if you can’t locate any other cards. Also, we would recommend discarding high-value cards during your Online Rummy match or game as soon as possible, since they lead to a high score.
Lastly, you should learn to observe your opponents by studying the cards they discard to predict the gameplay flow and meld stronger sets or sequences.
As you can see, while 13 Card Rummy isn’t a complex game, you must practice it thoroughly and understand the rules before you play a real game. This knowledge will help you meld the cards correctly and win it.
