Rummy Glossary: Learn Important Rummy Terms

13-Card Rummy

13 Card Rummy is played by 2 to 6 players. For 2 players a standard deck of 52 cards is selected and for 6 players two decks of 52 cards are combined. To win, players must form sets or sequences (with at least one pure and one impure sequence).

21 Card Rummy

The 21-Card Rummy is a variant of the Indian Rummy game played with 21 cards. In this game, the objective is to form three sequences, out of which two must be pure sequences. The remaining cards can be used to form sets.

Aces

There are four Aces (A♠️, A♥️, A♦️, A♣️) in a standard deck of 52 cards and can be used to form either a low-value (A♥️, 2♥️, 3♥️) or a high-value sequence (A♣️, K♣️, Q♣️).

Best of Three

Used in Deals Rummy where three deals are played and the player with the highest number of chips at the end of the three rounds is the winner.

Buy-In:

Also known as the entry fee, it is the amount required to join a cash tournament.

Rummy Cash Games

Games which players play for real cash. The player who wins takes home real money.

Check Our Guide to Rummy Cash Games - Rummy Cash Games Ultimate Guide

Chips

Chips are virtual money used for playing Rummy. At RummyBo, every player gets 10,000 practice chips for free to play Practice games and sharpen their skills. Chips are used to play practice games on RummyBo. You get free chips when you register on RummyBo and you can reload chips when you run out of them

Closed Deck:

After the cards have been dealt to players, the remaining face-down cards is the closed deck. Players pick cards from the closed deck and it’s reshuffled when all the cards from the closed deck are picked up.

Deadwood/Unmatched Cards

Cards that don’t form any valid combinations (2♥️, 5♣️, J♥️) and are not part of a meld.

Dealer

The player who distributes the cards to all other players at the start of a round. All players pick a card from the deck and the one with the lowest/highest card (depending on the house rules) becomes the dealer.

Dealing

The distribution of cards by the dealer to each player at the start of each round.

Deals Rummy

Deals Rummy is a variant of rummy played between 2 to 6 players with one or two standard decks of cards (depending on the players at the table). The game is played for a number of predetermined deals (also called rounds) and the player who has the highest score at the end of the deal/rounds wins the entire prize pool.

Check Out - How to Play Deals Rummy Online & Win Cash?

Deck

A pack of playing cards. A standard deck has 52 cards - four suits (♠️, ♥️, ♦️, ♣️) of thirteen cards each and two printed Jokers. The 13 cards are 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, J, Q, K and A.

Declare

Declaring means that a player has completed the objective of the Rummy game and lays out his/her cards for other players to verify if the combinations are as per the rules of the game.

Discard

During every player’s turn, they have to pick up a card, either from the closed or open deck, and then throw away (discard) a card face-up in the open deck.

Discard Pile (Open Deck)

After the cards have been dealt to players, one card from the remaining cards is placed face up on the table and forms the discard pile/open deck. After a player picks up a card, he/she has to then throw away a card face-up in the open deck. The next player can either pick a card from the closed deck or the top card from the discard pile.

Draw

Picking one card from the closed deck or the top card from the open deck.

Drop

A player quitting the game before the game has finished. Players are penalised for dropping out depending on the game they are playing.

Face Card

A card that has the face of a member of the royal court printed on it. These cards are Jack, Queen and Kings (of all suits). Contrary to popular belief, the Ace (A) is not a face card since it has no face printed on it.

First Drop

Quitting the game before or during the very first move without picking a card.

Full Count

Maximum possible points that can be scored by a player in a game (irrespective of the total value of cards in their hand).

Gin Rummy

Gin Rummy is one of the most popular Rummy games and the most widely-played two-player card game played all across the world. Played with a standard deck of cards, each player is dealt 10 cards. Aces are scored at one point (so, AKQ is not a valid sequence), face cards are 10 points, and numbered cards have their numerical/face values. Stu ‘The Kid’ Ungar is considered by everyone to be the greatest gin rummy player of all time.

Hand

The cards are dealt to a player at the start of the game. Players have to arrange their hands to form melds to finish the game.

Impure Sequence

A sequence of same-suited consecutive cards formed with a Joker/wild joker (7♠️, 8♠️, Joker).

Meld

Forming a group of three or more cards into a valid sequence (7♠️, 8♠️, 9♠️) or a set (6♠️, 6♥️, 6♦️).

Middle Drop

Quitting a game any time after the first turn. If a player misses three consecutive turns, they will be automatically dropped out of the game.

Paplu

Another version of Indian Rummy - is considered a mix of Gin Rummy and Rummy 500.

Points

Every card in a standard deck of cards is assigned a certain value. All the numbered cards (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10) have the same point value as the numbers on them while Jack (J), Queen (Q), King (K) and Ace (A) are assigned 10 points each. A losing player’s points is tallied by adding the points of their unmatched cards.

Points Rummy

Points Rummy is a variant of rummy played between 2 to 6 players who play for points after pre-deciding the rupee value. The game is played with two standard decks of cards with jokers and the goal is to make two sequences where one pure sequence is mandatory. The remaining cards can be a combination of sequences/sets. The game ends when a player makes a valid declaration and gets a score of zero. The scores of other players are calculated based on the number of unmatched cards.

Check Out - How to Play Points Rummy Online & Win Cash?

Pool Rummy

Pool Rummy is a variant of rummy which is played between 2 to 6 players with one or two standard decks of cards (depending on the players at the table) and a pre-decided points tally (101 or 201 Rummy). Players who reach the tally get eliminated and the player with the lowest score is declared the winner. The player who makes a valid declaration gets zero points while the scores of other players are calculated based on the number of unmatched cards.

Check Out - How to Play Pools Rummy Online & Win Cash?

101 Pool Rummy

101 Pool Rummy is a variant of Pool Rummy, 101 Pool is played for 101 points and the player(s) who make 101 points or more get eliminated. The player with the lowest score at the end of the game wins. The scores of other players are calculated based on the number of unmatched cards. If a player drops without picking up a card, they will be penalised 20 points. If a player drops after picking up at least one card, they will be penalised 40 points. And, players who make an invalid declaration or are unable to make a pure sequence are penalised 80 points.

201 Pool Rummy

201 Pool Rummy is a variant of Pool Rummy. 201 Pool is played for a points tally of 201 points. Players who reach 201 points get eliminated and the player with the lowest score at the end of the game wins. If a player drops without picking up a card, they will be penalised 25 points. If a player drops after picking up at least one card, they will be penalised 50 points. And, players who make an invalid declaration or are unable to make a pure sequence are penalised 80 points.

Printed Joker

In a standard deck, there are 52 cards and two Joker cards. The Joker card, also called the “Trump card”, can be used to replace any card to form an impure sequence or a set. Joker cards cannot be used to form pure sequences.

Check out - How to Play Rummy Game With Joker Card?

Pure Sequence

A sequence of consecutive cards of the same suit (7♠️, 8♠️, 9♠️). Joker/wild Joker cannot be used to make a pure sequence.

Rummy Tournaments

Multiplayer rummy games are played against multi-players on multi tables where the players with the highest number of chips move forward to the next round. To register for a rummy tournament, players need to pay an entry fee (buy-in). If the entry fee is 0, it is called a freeroll tournament (free entry).

Check out - How to Play Online Rummy Tournaments and Win Real Cash?

Set

A combination of three or more cards of the same value but of different suits (6♠️, 6♥️, 6♦️). A Joker/Wild Joker can be used to make a set (6♠️, 6♥️, Joker).

Check out - Rummy Sets - Rummy Card Set Rules and Strategies

Sequence

A combination of three or more cards of the same suit. Sequences can be either pure (7♠️, 8♠️, 9♠️) or impure (7♠️, 8♠️, Joker).

Check out - How to form pure & impure sequences in rummy?

Shuffling

The act of intermixing cards ensures the randomness of the cards. In offline games, shuffling is almost always followed by cutting the cards (splitting the deck into two by lifting one packet and placing it face down while the other packet is put on top of it) to further decrease the chances of the dealer having manipulated the cards.

Sorting

Arranging or grouping cards to help form sequences/sets. While playing at RummyBo, press the “Sort” button and all your cards will be grouped properly.

Suit

A standard deck of cards has 52 cards which are divided into 13 cards of four different ‘suits’ - spades ♠️, hearts ♥️, diamonds ♦️ and clubs ♣️.

Table

A table (real or virtual) where a game of rummy is played. Depending on the rules of the rummy variant, two to six players can play at a given table.

Wild Joker

After the dealer has dealt 13 cards each to all the players, one card is selected from the deck randomly as the wild Joker which can be used to form an impure set/sequence by replacing any card