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The Different Card Games of Rummy

Rummy in itself is a very popular card game. Because of its relatively simple rules and unique and engaging game play, it has become one of the favorite card games around the world. This is by any means no easy feat, considering that the many believe and consider Poker as the most popular card game to date. Of course, there is no denying that Poker has its charm; it is, after all, an ideal gambling game. But Rummy games are much more than that, and it has much more than what Poker can offer.

The card games of Rummy are unique yet with a certain flare that makes players keep coming back for more. A delightful characteristic of most of the card games of Rummy is their similarity; all of them have the same core rules. However, the little differences in the rules make them already different from each other. Here are some of the popular card (and not so popular) games of Rummy.

Oklahoma Gin

Oklahoma Gin is among the popular card games of Rummy, played by millions all over the globe through online card game websites. Oklahoma Gin is, in turn, a variation of the Gin Rummy. The same basic rules apply: the player who knocks and has the least number of points in his hand wins. The points in one’s hand are decided according to the deadwood and the melds in the player’s hand. For example, a meld is a certain combination of cards, which could either be a run or a set. A run is a card sequence with the same suit (for example, eight spade-nine spade-10 spade) while a run is a set of similarly numbered cards (for example, eight spade-eight club-eight diamond). A meld should at least have three cards. Cards that are part of a meld do not have corresponding points. On the other hand, cards that are not part of the meld have points (based on their number or face value; face cards are value at ten points, while a eight card, for example, is valued at eight).

These cards are called deadwood. In a regular game of Gin Rummy, a player wins if he forms a gin (all 10 cards are part of a meld) or if he knocks (a player can knock if he has 10 points or less) and his deadwood is lesser compared to the opponent (if the opponent has lesser deadwood, the opponent wins even if he did not declare the knock). However, in an Oklahoma Gin game, the knock is predetermined by the first upcard from the stock pile (which also serves as the discard pile). For example, if the first upcard is a five card, then the minimum point to declare a knock is five. If the first upcard is an ace card, a gin is required in order to win. Obviously, this increases the game’s difficulty and is more suited for advanced players. Another Gin Rummy variation is the Hollywood Gin. In this type of Gin Rummy, the scoring per each round is different; the score of each round is carried over to the next. The game lasts for three rounds, meaning the game has a set number of rounds unlike other games. The rules in this game are hardly changed.

Mah Jongg and Rummikub

These are among the card games of Rummy, even if it is not actually played using cards. Mah Jongg is a popular Chinese tile game, which has the same principle of forming melds, drawing and discarding tiles, and creating winning combinations in order to win. Unlike the usual card games of Rummy, Mah Jongg has a number of combinations. These combinations are so numerous, in fact, that a number of them are hardly used on play. On the other hand, Rummikub has the same principle of meld forming as the other card games of Rummy. However, instead of cards, tiles are used. Also, colors are used instead of suits, and the numbers range from one to 13. Mah Jongg is part of the card games of Rummy for two distinct reasons: it is said that this game is among the origins of Rummy, and this game can be played using normal playing cards. Of course, optimum results can be achieved when using the tiles. Rummikub can also be played using cards.

500 Rum

Another one of the card games of Rummy which is quite well-known, 500 Rum is said to be the origin of other popular card games such as Canasta. 500 Rum plays similar to other card games of Rummy. However, 500 Rum’s distinctive feature is how each meld is scored instead of the score being computed at the end of the game.