It is a rummy game with a 500-point goal, played with two standard 52 card decks and two jokers. The objective is to be the first player to reach at least 500 points. The person to the dealer’s left becomes the first player, and the play proceeds clockwise.
At the beginning of every game (or deal) 30 points are allocated to the pool. The points go to the winner(s) of that deal. The deal consists of 10 rounds.
Dealing:
- The players begin with 13 cards each.
Game Play:
- Each player begins by examining his/her 13 cards. In the first round 3, cards are dealt to the first player, then 4 to the second player and so on.
- The goal of the game is to form melds - sets (three or more cards of the same value), runs (three or more consecutive cards of the same suit) and book (three or four of a kind).
- Any combination of three cards of the same rank is called a ‘Set’, which is considered the same value as one card.
- Jokers are wild and can be used as a substitute for any card in a meld.
- Once the first player has discarded (discards go face up in front of the player to create the discard pile), then the second player draws from the deck and then has the option to discard one card.
- The dealer will draw their card last, and then discard one card. The cards are taken from the top of the shuffled pack and placed face-up in the discard pile.
Scoring:
- If the player goes out (lays down all cards in melds), the point value of their hand is the sum of the non-melded cards. Face cards are worth ten points each, jokers 15 points each, and number cards show the face value.
- If a player lays out at any time in addition to those described above, the hand counts zero points.
- The player who plays out takes the pool. When a player reaches the 500 Points score, the game is over.
Rules:
- A player can only lay down a meld if it contains at least one card that has not been played before;
- Two or more melds may be laid down at once, but each must contain at least one card that has not been played before;
- Once a card has been discarded, it cannot be picked up again;
- A player cannot draw face-up cards from the discard pile; A joker may only be used to represent a single card
- In the beginning, only the first player can knock. All other players can knock only if a player has already knocked in that game of 10 rounds.
- If 2 or more players go out in the first round. The 1st one whose discard is lower, will pick up the point. If the cards are of the same value, then the point will go to the pool.
Variations:
300 Rummy: Players must acquire 300 points to complete the game.
500-Cutthroat: Players do not begin with 30 points, and only the winner of a deal gains points.