Rummy rules 

Here you can read the rules of the most common rummy games: Gin Rummy, Kalooki and Oklahoma Gin.

- Gin Rummy rules

- Kalooki rules

- Oklahoma Gin rules

Gin Rummy rules

Gin Rummy is a skill-based card game for 2-4 players. The game is played with one standard deck of 52 cards. In a 2 player game each player is dealt 10 cards. In a 3-4 player game, each player is dealt 7 cards. The goal in Gin Rummy is to be the first player to get rid of all the cards in your hand, by melding them into sets and runs and laying them down. A "set" contains 3-4 cards of the same value, while a "run" consists of 3 or more consecutive cards of the same suit.

The players must begin a turn by drawing a card either from the stick or discard piles, and adding it to their hand. To complete their turn, players must discard a single card from their hand onto the discard pile. There are three ways to win a round of Gin rummy: Gin, Knock and Undercut. Gin - is when players meld all the cards in their hand, laying them down on the table at once and discarding their last card onto the discard pile - while having no deadwood (unmatching cards) left. Knock - is when players meld all the cards in their hand and their deadwood count's total equals 10 or lower. Finally, Undercut - is when players' deadwood count is equal to the Knocker's or lower. After players Gin, their opponents may lay their melds down onto the table, to decrease their deadwood count and therefore reduce their amount of penalty points. After players Knock, their defeated opponents may lay their melds down onto the table, and add matching cards to the Knocker's original melds only. Therefore, the Knock move provides the defeated players with an opportunity to reduce their amount of penalty points far more than Gin.

The winners of multi-round Gin Rummy games are the players to accumulate the highest amount of points. Gin is the move that rewards the winner with the highest amount of points. Players who Gin are rewarded with 25 points, while their defeated opponents receive double the amount of their deadwood count as penalty points. Undercut rewards the winners with 20 points, and their defeated opponents receive the difference in the counts of the winner's deadwood and their own - as penalty points. The last winning move is Knock. This move rewards the Knocker with 10 points, and his defeated opponents are all credited with their deadwood count minus the Knocker's deadwood count as penalty points. In Gin Rummy, Aces count as 1 point and all the face cards are worth 10 points, while all other cards are worth their face value.

Kalooki rules

Kalooki is another classic skill-based Rummy game that incorporates the use of wild cards and is best played with 2-4 players. Players are always dealt 13 cards, no matter how many players participate. The goal in Kalooki, just like in all Rummy games, is to be the first player to get rid of all the cards in your hand, by melding them into sets and runs and laying them down. A "set" contains 3-4 cards of the same value, while a "run" consists of 3 or more consecutive cards of the same suit. The players must begin a turn by drawing a card either from the stick or discard piles, and adding it to their hand.

To complete their turn, players must discard a single card from their hand onto the discard pile. Building is an important element of Kalooki. During the their turn, players may add matching cards to melds already laid down on the table during previous rounds either by them or by other players. This move is called Building. Players who build onto melded sets and runs on the table, may do so in the following way: either adding the corresponding card of the fourth suit to a 3 card set (in case it contains a Joker, no repeated suits are allowed), or by adding matching consecutive cards to either end of a run. In builds, as in original melds, a Joker can be used as a substitute for any card and acquires the value of the card it represents. The reuse of Joker in Kalooki must be carried out the following way: in a 3 card set that contains a Joke, the Joker may be released for equal ranking cards of both missing only. By adding just one card of one missing suit, a closed 4 card set is formed, from which the Joker may never be released. In case a 3 card set contains two Jokers, players can add either one of the missing suits, releasing one of the Jokers and forming a closed 4 card set. In case a run contains a Joker, the players to hold the card the Joker represents in their hand may use it to release the Joker and reuse it elsewhere. In case players release a Joker they must use it to melds cards and laying them on table at the same turn. The Joker cannot be added to the cards in their hand.

There are two ways to win a round of Kalooki: Hunt and Going Out. Hunt is when players meld all the cards in their hand, laying them down on the table at once and discarding their last card onto the discard pile all at once and in the same turn while having no umatching cards left. Going Out is when players meld all the cards in their hand, laying them down on the table gradually last card onto the discard pile. In Kalooki, unlike other Rummy games, players cannot "lay off" any cards after a player wins. When the winner calls, the round is immediately over and the defeated opponents cannot dispose of any of the cards they are holding, even if they match any of melds on the table. Players who Hunt are rewarded with 40 points, while their defeated opponents receive penalty points on the amount of the value of the cards in their hand X2. Players who Go Out receive 20 points, while their defeated opponents receive penalty points on the amount of the value of the cards in their hand.

Oklahoma Gin rules

Oklahoma Gin is a Gin Rummy variant, which is a skill-based card game for 2-4 players. The game is played with one standard deck of 52 cards. In a 2 player game each player is dealt 10 cards. In a 3-4 player game, each player is dealt 7 cards. The goal in Oklahoma Gin is to be the first player to get rid of all the cards in your hand, by melding them into sets and runs and laying them down. A "set" contains 3-4 cards of the same value, while a "run" consists of 3 or more consecutive cards of the same suit. The players must begin a turn by drawing a card either from the stick or discard piles, and adding it to their hand. To complete their turn, players must discard a single card from their hand onto the discard pile.

There are three ways to win a round of Oklahoma Gin: Gin, Knock and Undercut. Gin - is when players meld all the cards in their hand, laying them down on the table at once and discarding their last card - while having no deadwood (unmatching cards) left. Knock - is when players meld all the cards in their hand and their deadwood count is equal to the opening card's face value or lower. Finally, Undercut - is when players' deadwood count is equal to the Knocker's or lower. After players Gin, their opponents may lay their melds down onto the table, to decrease their deadwood count and therefore reduce their amount of penalty points. After players Knock, their defeated opponents may lay their melds down onto the table, and add matching cards to the Knocker's original melds only. Therefore, the Knock move provides the defeated players with an opportunity to reduce their amount of penalty points far more than Gin.

The winners of multi-round Oklahoma Gin games are the players to accumulate the highest amount of points. Gin is the move that rewards the winner with the highest amount of points. Players who Gin are rewarded with 25 points, while their defeated opponents receive double the amount of their deadwood count as penalty points. Undercut rewards the winners with 20 points, and their defeated opponents receive the difference in the counts of the winner's deadwood and their own - as penalty points. The last winning move is Knock. This move rewards the Knocker with 10 points, and his defeated opponents are all credited with their deadwood count minus the Knocker's deadwood count as penalty points. In Oklahoma Gin, Aces count as 1 point and all the face cards are worth 10 points, while all other cards are worth their face value.

Source: Rummy Royal