13 Card Rummy and Its Growing Popularity

Rummy is one of the most exciting games you can play that also requires a lot of strategy and skill. The 13 card rummy game is an especially popular online rummy format in India with a thriving community of top-skilled players. In this variant, all players will be dealt 13 cards each at the start of the game.

RummyTime, which is a popular rummy app across India, not only provides an amazing way to play the game but you can also win some exciting prizes!

Here are some reasons why 13-card rummy is so popular:

• Quick and Easy to Learn: The 13-card rummy variant is an easy game to understand and start playing. And, because there are fewer cards at play, it is also a quick format. You can even play a thrilling game of 13-card rummy during your lunch break. There’s always time for it.
• Skill-Based Game: Rummy is a game that requires you to strategize and think on your feet. Playing the game requires an understanding of math and the game itself. The more you play, the better you get at it.
• Exciting and Fun-Filled: You never know when you will have a winning hand. A joker can arrive just in time and change the entire course of the game you’re playing. This makes it exciting. Playing against other top-skilled players keeps you on your toes and it ends up being so much fun.

The Objective of 13 Card Rummy Game

The objective of the game is to arrange your cards into sequences and sets. The first player who does this and then makes a valid declaration ends up winning the game. But avid players will know that there are rules to abide by in order to play the game and ultimately win.

1. There should be at least two players.
2. When it is their turn, players have to draw one card and discard one card.
3. Every player arranges the cards they get in sequences and/or sets.
4. The first player with a valid declaration wins.

The Rules of 13 Card Rummy Game

While rummy as a game has similar rules, the Indian format is different from the variants played internationally. Here are the main rummy rules of the 13 cards variant.

Creating Sequences

No valid declaration is complete without sequences. Every valid declaration must have at least two sequences. Out of these two, one of the sequences should be a pure sequence.

Pure Sequence:

When you arrange at least 3 cards or more of the same suit (consecutively), then you will have a sequence. When you don’t use a joker or a wild card joker, it becomes a pure sequence. However, it should be noted that if a wild card joker chronologically fits into the sequence (and it is the same suit as the other cards in the sequence), then it can be used.

Example:

Impure Sequence:

When a sequence has a joker or two (wild card jokers can also be used) in place of the missing cards, then it becomes an impure sequence.

Example:

In this case, the joker is a stand-in for the missing three of spades.

Creating Sets

Cards of the same value but belonging to different suits when grouped together become a set.

Example:

More Rules To Keep in Mind

• There need to be at least three cards for it to be considered a valid set.
• They should all be from different suits. If a set has two cards of the same value and from the same suit, then they will be considered invalid.
• The maximum number of cards that you can use to form a set without using any Jokers is 4, but you can create a set of up to seven cards if you are using Jokers.
• A valid declaration does not need to include a set as long as the declaration has valid sequences throughout.
• A set can be completed with a joker/jokers (wild card jokers as well).

Printed Joker and Wild Card Jokers

In rummy, a joker card is very important. Basically, the joker is extremely versatile. It can be used as a replacement for any missing card from a sequence or a set.

Every game of rummy has two variants of the joker:

• Printed Joker: These are the jokers that come with the deck. Every deck of cards in rummy has at least two printed jokers.
• Wild Card Joker: At the start of every game, one card is randomly drawn and selected to be the wild card. Cards from different suits that carry the same value will have the same attributes as a printed joker. Therefore, they can also be used as replacements for any missing cards part of a sequence or a set. For example, if the six of hearts is drawn as a wild card joker during a game, then six of diamonds, six of spades, and six of clubs can also be used as wild card jokers by players. Also, when a joker card is drawn at the start of the game, all aces will be considered wild cards instead.

How to Play 13 Card Rummy

As stated earlier, the goal for every game of rummy is to arrange all your cards into sets and sequences and then make a valid declaration. The first player to do so ends up winning. Here’s how you will play 13-card rummy, on RummyTime.

Shuffle and Dealing of Cards

On RummyTime, at the start of every game, all players are dealt 13 cards each. As a player you can choose between playing a 2-player game or a 6-player game. Once you join the table of your choice, you will automatically be dealt 13 cards.

RummyTime employs a card shuffling system with an RNG (Random Number Generator) certification. RNG uses a specific algorithm that ensures all cards are randomly selected and without any bias. These cards are also selected from a well-shuffled deck. Australian-based iTech Labs issued this certification.

Open Card

After cards are shuffled and all players are dealt 13 cards, the system will first hold a toss. All players will have one card to represent them. The player with the highest value card will “win” the toss and will be the first player to start the game. Before they can make a move, RummyTime’s system will randomly select one card to be the “open card”. This card will officially kick-start the game. And, this card also represents the discard pile.

Declaration of Wild Card Joker

As stated earlier, at the beginning of every game, a random card is picked from the closed pile (by the system). This card will act as the wild card joker and will carry all the attributes of a printed joker. Cards from different suits that carry the same value as the chosen card will also be considered wild card jokers.

Drawing and Discarding Cards During a Game

When it is their turn, players have to draw one card and discard one card. Players can either take a card from the closed pile or they can take the top card from the discard pile. After they have taken a card, they have to discard one card of their own. This will go on the discard/open pile of cards.

Making a Valid Declaration

There is nothing sweeter in a game of rummy than a valid declaration. Because that means the player who declared first is the winner (and hopefully it’s you!).

Here’s what you should know about valid declarations:

• A valid declaration should have at least TWO sequences. Of these two sequences, one of them has to be a pure sequence.
• There are no limitations on the number of sets as long as there are two sequences (with one of them being a pure sequence).
• All the cards can be in sequences. There is no need to have at least one set for it to be a valid declaration.

How Points are Calculated in a 13 Card Rummy Game

The first player to make a valid declaration also has 0 points. The objective of the game is for all players to get to 0 points by making sets and sequences. Other players will accumulate between 2 and 80 points. When it comes to real cash rummy games, this will translate into money. Therefore it is always important to try and discard as many high-value cards as possible.

Here’s how the scoring works:

• Printed jokers and wild card jokers - 0 points
• Face cards such as jack, queen, and king - 10 points
• Idle ace cards that are not part of a set or a sequence - 10 points

The cards, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10, carry the points printed on them.

When you meld cards into pure sequences, impure sequences and sets, their value automatically drops to 0. It should be noted that there must be a pure sequence in play for other sets and impure sequences to lose their collective value.

You are also penalized when you drop from a game. So, for a game of Points rummy, this is how the penalty system works:

• First drop = 20 points
• Middle drop = 40 points
• Invalid declaration = 80 points

The first drop refers to when a player drops out of a game on their first turn. It is considered a ‘middle drop’, if a player drops out of the game during subsequent turns. An invalid declaration is when a player makes a declaration without properly arranging their cards in a way that their total value becomes 0.

It should be noted that points are calculated differently for Pool rummy (which is also a variation of 13-card rummy). Here’s how it works:

Here’s an example of a valid declaration in 13-card rummy:

In this example, there are two pure sequences, one impure sequence and a set. All the cards have been properly melded into sets and sequences. Additionally, there is at least one pure sequence. This makes it a valid declaration.

Here’s an example of an invalid declaration in 13-card rummy:

In this example, there is an incomplete sequence. The player in question accidentally melded 4,6, and 7 together but 5♠ is missing from the sequence. This makes it an invalid declaration even though the other cards have been properly arranged.

So, there you have it. This is how you can play 13-card rummy anytime, anywhere. Just install RummyTime and get gaming!