What is Indian Rummy?

Indian rummy is one of the most celebrated card games in India. Just like the diverse Indian audience, the game of rummy has evolved over time, resulting in multiple variations. Indian Rummy, being widely accepted, has gained significant popularity among households in India.

Types of Indian Rummy

Interestingly, there are two types of Indian Rummy: 13-card rummy and 21-card rummy. There isn't much difference between the two versions in terms of game rules; however, their popularity varies.

13-card rummy

Indian Rummy, also known as Paplu, is played with 13 cards and can be played among 2 to 6 players. The main objective of the rummy game is to arrange the cards to form sets and sequences and make a valid declaration to win the game.

21-card rummy

There is another version of Indian Rummy that is played with 21 cards and can be played among 2 or more players. Even though the rules of this version of the game are almost similar to the 13-card version, it’s not very popular among Indian players.

Most Popular Variants of Indian Rummy in 13 Card Format Variants of Indian Rummy

The 13-card Indian Rummy has 3 variants that elevate the fun and entertainment of the game.

Deals Rummy

In this variant, the number of deals is fixed before the start of the game. Each player gets a certain number of chips. The winner of a deal collects chips based on the score of other players. The player who has the highest number of chips after completing the fixed number of deals wins the game.

Pool Rummy

This particular variant of Indian Rummy has 3 formats - Pool 61, Pool 101, and Pool 201.

The overall objective of the game is to not exceed a fixed score and this score is based on the format of the game. The winner is the last player remaining after all other players have exceeded the score limit (61, 101, 201).

Points Rummy

This variant is always preferable for a quick game of Indian Rummy. The concept of this format is quite straightforward - players in the game need to make a valid declaration to win the game. The winner is the player who declares the cards first.

For beginners, achieving a deeper understanding of the game requires familiarity with the terminology associated with Indian Rummy. The glossary for Indian Rummy is predominantly in English, but it may become more hyperlocal based on geographical variations.

Sets

A set can be formed with three or four cards of the same rank but different suits.

Sequences

A sequence can be formed with three or more consecutive cards of the same suit. Players need at least two sequences, one of which needs to be a pure sequence to make a valid declaration.

Discard

The act of laying off an unwanted card on each turn is called discarding.

Drop

If a player is not confident on the hand dealt, they can drop out of the game by using the “Drop” option. There is a penalty of 15 points for dropping before a single turn and 30 points for dropping after a turn, which will be added to their overall score.

Declare

On completing the objective of the game, the player discards the last unwanted card in the “Show here” slot and declares the cards.

Wildcard Joker

After the cards have been dealt, a random card is chosen as the wildcard Joker. You can see this card at the bottom of the closed deck.

Open deck

It consists of cards that players have discarded on each turn.

Closed deck

After dealing the cards, the remaining cards are placed face down to form a closed deck. Players have the option to draw a card from this deck on their turn during the game.

Indian Rummy Rules

As rummy is a game of skill and strategy, to progress from being a beginner to an expert, it is essential to be well versed with the rummy rules. The most basic rule is to form sets or sequences and have no remaining cards in hand to make a valid declaration.

What is a set?

If a player groups at least three cards of the same rank but different suits, the grouping is called a set. A Joker card can be used to form a valid set.

What is a sequence?

If a player groups three or more consecutive cards of the same suit, then the grouping is called a sequence. To make a valid declaration in the game, the player needs at least two sequences, and one of them should be a pure sequence.

Pure sequence:

When no card is replaced by a Joker to form a sequence, it is called a pure sequence. However, if a wildcard Joker fits in a sequence regardless of it being a Joker, it will still be a pure sequence.

Impure sequence

When a Joker card is used to replace any other card in order to form a valid sequence.

What is a Joker?

A Joker card is used to replace any other card to form a sequence or set. There are two types of Joker cards in Indian Rummy:

Printed Joker:

It’s the card that has a Joker printed on it and plays an important role in forming sets or sequences in the game.

Wildcard Joker:

When the cards are dealt at the beginning of the game, a random card is selected to serve as the wildcard Joker for that particular deal.

Note: If the Joker is chosen to be a wildcard Joker, then all aces are considered to be Jokers.

How to Play Indian Rummy?

Indian rummy is played among 2 to 6 players with 1-2 standard decks of 52 cards. Each player in the game is dealt 13 cards. The objective of the game is to arrange the cards in sets or sequences, and make a valid declaration to win the game.

Shuffling and Dealing

The game begins with a well-shuffled deck of cards. According to the rules of the 13 card rummy, each player is dealt 13 cards. After dealing the cards, the remaining cards are kept face down on the table; the deck is called a closed deck.

Open Card

The top card from the closed deck is kept face up to form the open deck. This card can be picked by a player on their turn.

Declaration of a Wildcard Joker

A random card is selected as the wildcard Joker, and all cards of that value become wildcard Jokers.

Drawing and Discarding of Cards

The game starts when a player draws a card from the open or closed deck. After picking up the card, the player has to discard a card to the open deck, and the card that has been discarded can be picked by the next player or the player can choose to pick a card from the closed deck.

Final Declaration

Once the player forms the required sequences or sets, they should discard the last unwanted card in the 'Show here' slot and declare the cards.

Calculations of Points

In Indian rummy, points are calculated based on the ungrouped cards. Each card has a point value in the game. Every numbered card (2, 3, 4, ..., 10) is worth its face value, and all face cards (K, Q, J) and Aces carry 10 points each. Here is a table with relevant examples:

Table of 2 players (Joker 9♠️)

Player	Hand formed	Calculation of points
Player 1	A♠️ Q♠️ K♠️ ¦ 5♦️ 6♦️ P J ¦ J♣️ K♣️ Q♣️ ¦ 4♣️ 9♠️ 4♦️ ¦ 3♥️	The player has 2 pure sequences, 1 impure sequence, and 1 set. So, the points of an ungrouped card will be counted, that is 3.
Player 2	J♦️ Q♦️ K♦️ ¦ A♠️ 2♠️ 3♠️ ¦ 8♣️ 8♠️ 8♥️ 9♦️ ¦ J♠️ Q♠️ 9♥️	Winner

Winning Calculations in Indian Rummy

Understanding the calculations of each variant of Indian Rummy can help players perform better and win more in the game. Here’s a simplified version of each calculation.

For Points Rummy:

The winnings of Points rummy is based on a pre-decided rupee value. At the end of the game, the winner gets the entire amount lost by the other players. For example:

If 6 players are playing on a table that has a point value of 1, then each point is worth ₹1. Let’s assume that the total score of ungrouped cards of the losing players is 107, then the winning player gets ₹107.

For Pool Rummy:

There is a fixed Buy-In to participate in the game, and the prize pool is formed accordingly. If 6 players are playing the game and join a Pool rummy with a ₹10 Buy-In, the prize pool of the game would be ₹60. The winner will take the entire prize pool of ₹60.