The game of Indian Rummy begins with dealing the cards. Depending on the number of players, a standard deck of 52 cards (or two decks for larger groups) is used. Each player is dealt 13 cards. The remaining cards form the draw pile, while one card is placed face-up to start the discard pile.
In Indian Rummy, the number of cards dealt to each player varies depending on the number of participants and the version of the game being played. In the most common version, which is 13-card rummy, each player is dealt 13 cards. This is true whether there are 2 players or up to 6 players participating. The game becomes more complex with more players, but the number of cards each player receives remains the same.
Indian Rummy typically uses one or two decks of cards, depending on the number of players. When 2 to 6 players are involved, two standard decks of 52 cards each are used, along with two joker cards per deck, making the total count 106 cards (including four jokers). This allows sufficient card variety for the players to draw and discard cards during their turn. The presence of jokers is essential because they serve as wild cards, helping players complete sets and sequences.
The game of Indian Rummy starts with the dealer distributing cards to each player. The player to the left of the dealer is often the first to receive a card, with the deal continuing clockwise around the table. Once the cards are dealt, a random card from the remaining deck is placed face-up on the table to start the discard pile, while the rest of the cards are placed face-down in the stockpile or closed deck.
Once each Player has their 13 cards, and the discard pile has been created, the Player to the right of the Dealer will begin the game with the first move.
During each Player’s turn, they must draw one card and discard one card. Unlike in some Rumy card game variations, cards are not placed down onto the play area. Instead, Players keep their cards in their hands until they reach the win condition.
Indian Rummy ends when a Player has all 13 cards in their hand melded in one form or another. This is done after the Player discards their last card, and declares “Rummy” to the table. That Player wins the round, and other players will tabulate their deadwood scores to determine how many points to pay the winner. This is explained in the scoring section.
Melding is the process of arranging your cards into valid sets and sequences. The goal is to form at least two sequences, one of which must be a pure sequence, and the rest can be any valid combination of sets and sequences.
Melding is the process of arranging your cards into valid sets and sequences. The goal is to form at least two sequences, one of which must be a pure sequence, and the rest can be any valid combination of sets and sequences.
Packing refers to dropping out of a game voluntarily if you think you don’t have a strong hand. You can choose to pack at any time during your turn, and different penalty points are assigned based on when you pack.
The basic rules of Indian Rummy require players to create at least two valid sequences, one of which must be pure. The rest of the cards can form either sequences or sets. The game continues in turns until one player declares a valid hand and wins.
Scoring in Indian Rummy is based on the cards left in hand after a player makes a valid declaration. The winner gets zero points, while the others accumulate points based on the value of the unmatched cards.
Here’s an example hand to better understand how to form sequences and sets:
In this example, the player has one pure sequence, one impure sequence, and one set, making it a valid hand.
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