Rummy is dubbed as the the 3rd world’s most played and known card game, is played all over the globe, with variations from the original rummy game depending on which part of the globe you’re in. Known a game of strategy over than skill, people enjoy playing the rummy card game ranging from just the fun of it, to the craziness of betting on it, usually money, similar to poker.
The rummy card game, according to David Parlett (The Penguin Book of Card Games, 1978), traces its beginnings from the Mexican game of Conquian, which in turn, derives its roots to the Chinese games Khanhoo and the even ancient game of Mahjong.
Differences regarding gameplay and rules abound with the rummy card game. But, the group of rummy card games typically has the same feature; to create card combinations called a meld three cards of a similar suit in a sequence. A player is given a number of cards, depending on the rummy card game variation, and tries to create melds by drawing from the stack of cards that was not dealt, or the stock pile. The drawn card may be held by the player, and another card should be removed or “thrown†by the player to the discard pile. Once a meld has been developed, the player has the choice to lay down the cards. But for the sake of strategy, a player can keep on to the meld in order to declare “Rummy†as the game progresses.
A player may also opt to “lay-off†cards to a meld that was put down down by the other player. As an example, a meld of similar suit of 3, 4 and 5 was laid down, the player taking his turn can add to that meld with his existing cards on hand by putting off 2 or 6 of the similar suit to the existing meld.
The game ends depending on what type of the rummy card game is being played. Typically, game ends if a player has gotten off of all their cards and declares “Rummy†or wins by achieving the top score.
Whatever variation of the rummy card game one is playing, it makes for a non-stop game of skill and strategy. An incorrect move, undeclared melds, careless errors, these are sure fire ways a player may either go home to lick their wounds or come home to the wife with a thinner wallet. So are we ready to play?