Rummy is a classic card game of cunning, wits, and strategy, and knowing when and how to draw, meld, and discard the cards in your hand can make the difference between clearing them out and winning, or ending up losing with cards still in your hands. Such are the rules and strategies of Rummy, let's take a look.

Playing Rummy

There are several variants of Rummy such as Contract Rummy, 500 Rum, and the ever-popular Gin Rummy. Regardless, of whatever the variant, Rummy is based on the same core gameplay that includes drawing cards, melding your cards, and indulging in ways and means to outwit your opponents (strategy).

Playing Rummy involves the basic steps of drawing, melding, placing your cards on the table (so to speak), and most of all thinking. Let's take a quick look first at how the game is played.

The foremost objective of the game is for you to be able to put "all" your cards on the table and doing that before anyone else, lets you win the game. Also, you get scored by the amount of cards still left in the hands of your opponents.

The game is played with a 52 standard deck of cards, including the Jokers. Each player is dealt a fixed number of cards depending on how many are playing. Usually, it's around 10 cards if there are only two players, and a little bit less if there are more.

Now you have your cards at hand (just like Poker), the remaining cards are set in a pile on the table facing down, but a single card is drawn from the top and set face up beside the pile to indicate the discard pile.

The game starts in a clockwise direction, and a player has to do two things. You "discard" a card and place it on the discard pile, then "draw" a card from the draw pile or the discard pile. You then combine or "meld" your cards, and there are two ways to do this. You find "sets" in your cards of three or four cards of the same rank, like say three Aces, four Queens, and so on (never mind the suits).

The other way is to find "runs" which are three or more consecutive sequences of cards of the same suits, like an Ace of Diamonds, and 2, and 3 of diamonds, that's a run. You lay those cards on the table, which diminishes the cards you have (the objective), and the game moves on until somebody goes Rummy with no cards left. Note that some variations of the game require at least one pure run or laying down a sequence of the same suit cards without a Jester, as the wild card can always substitute for any card.

Tips, Tricks and Winning Strategies

The core strategy of the game is to always focus on a pure run. A sequence value of three or more of the same suit is in most Rummy variations a requirement to be able to win the game. As mentioned, some may allow or may not, but once a pure run has been achieved, the use of the Jester with succeeding runs may be allowed.

Going for a pure run from the start ensures a higher chance of a quick finish as it reduces high-value cards early on, and since it's a requirement, you can be more flexible with your cards later. Always be aware of consecutive suited cards and keep them together.

In discarding cards, always remember that the Royalties (King, Queen, and Jack) are high-value cards, and it's a good strategy to get rid of them early, either through sets or by discarding. Having high-value cards in a game where the higher the value of the cards you have left the last you will be to cross the finish line, means the lowest scorer is the one with no more cards, and thus, the winner.

Another important strategy is the "Art of the Bluff" because, in many ways, Rummy plays like Poker. Be aware of the cards your opponents discard and those that they pick from the discard pile. If they avoid a certain card value, it is likely to be a dead-end card for them, so discard similar cards that you have to confuse them when they try to guess the cards that you hold. Just make sure you don't accidentally discard cards you can use in a run or set. Also, try to hold on to cards with middle-range values (4 to 10) as they are more flexible in building sets or runs.

The Joker is a powerful character, but also limited in ways. For one, you cannot use them for pure runs, but aside from that, the chaotic clown can fill the gaps for impure runs and sets. Save them for high-value sets as they can fill in for either King, Queen, or Jack.

Flexibility is also the key because Rummy is as unpredictable a game as the Jester himself. Adjust your gameplay and your meld strategies. If the majority of your opponents are holding certain card suits and values, try to go for the alternative less contested ones.

Subtlety and patience are always good strategies and should be used when drawing cards. Pick them up from the face-down pile as much as possible as drawing them from the discarded pile shows everyone that you have that card, unless it will complete a set or a run and the information will be useless to them.

Keep an eye on the discard pile as it will help you guess what your "Poker Faced" opponents have. Having an intimate knowledge of the cards and their values, and what cards are discarded, can be helpful in estimating the cards as opposed to yours and help you decide which cards to discard and which to hold on to.

There are many other tips, tricks, and strategies that Rummy players use to win their games. However, Rummy is a variant game and each variant (ex. Gin Rummy) has their specific techniques on how to increase the player's chances of winning.

Practice to become a winner, and experience are still the best paths into mastering the game, regardless of which Rummy version you play. Over time, one will gain the skill and intuitive sense to know which cards to hold and which to discard. With experience, strategy, and intuitive skill, winning at Rummy will be as exquisite as a bottle of Rum.