Contract Rummy is a variation of Rummy where the game changes from hand to hand! On each hand, players have a different “contract” to fulfill in order to go out: some hands require a certain number of runs, while others require a certain number of sets.

1. The objective of Contract Rummy is to meld all the cards in the hand into sets and sequences. There are different contract requirements for each deal. For example, the contract requirement for the first deal is two sets. The game goes on until a player goes out or discards the last card in the hand while melding.
2. The objective of Contract Rummy is to meld all the cards in the hand into sets and sequences. There are different contract requirements for each deal. For example, the contract requirement for the first deal is two sets. The game goes on until a player goes out or discards the last card in the hand while melding.

Contract rummy is a Rummy card game, based on gin rummy played by 3 to 8 players.^[1] It is also known as Combination rummy, Deuces Wild Rummy, Joker rummy and Phase 10.

Play[edit]

Basics[edit]

Contract rummy is played with multiple decks of 54 standard playing cards, including the Jokers. Aces are high and low (above a King), and Jokers are wild cards. The number of decks varies from 2 to 4 and is based on the number of players (see chart). Each game is based on 7 rounds of hands, and the rules for each hand are unique. One person begins as dealer for the first hand, and then the person to the dealer's left becomes dealer for the next hand, and so on. Each player is dealt ten cards for the first four rounds and then 12 for the last three. The rest of the deck is then placed face down in the middle of the players; this is referred to as the stock. One card is taken from the top of the stock and placed face up next to it. This card is called the upcard and becomes the beginning of the discard pile, other wise known as 'dead', or no longer in the game.

The first player to play is the player to the dealer's left. Play always progresses in this clockwise direction. Each player has a choice at the beginning of their turn. They may either pick up one new card from the top of the stock or take the upcard. After the player draws his card, either from the stock or the upcard, he must then choose any card in his hand to discard, and he then places this card face up on the discard pile. That card then becomes the new upcard, which the next player in turn can take. If the next player chooses not to take the upcard, any other player may claim it. This is achieved by calling out for the card. The first player to call for the card takes it, as well as a penalty card from the deck.

Melding[edit]

The object of each hand is to come up with the correct combination of cards to be able to meld, or 'lay out'. The combination for each hand is different (see chart), and they become more difficult with each subsequent hand. The combinations for each hand are either sets or runs or a combination of both. A set is a combination of a specific number of cards of the same rank, and the suit is not important. A run is a combination of a specific number of cards of the same suit that have consecutive ranks. A player must have both a set of 3 cards and a run of 4 cards in his hand before he can meld in certain rounds.

A player can meld only when it is his turn. As always, he must start his hand by drawing a card, then when he has the correct sequence of cards, he can meld or 'go down.' He does so by laying his meld cards face up on the table in their correct sequence. He can only lay out his meld cards and no additional cards. After melding, a player can then play on the melds of other players. When done, he must then discard. If the player has no more cards in his hand after discarding, he is declared the winner. The player must have a discard and may not discard a playable card. If the player does not have a discard he must take the top card from the discard pile and the top card from the stock, play any cards playable, and then discard.

Play for the player who has gone down[edit]

When a player is 'down' (meaning he has already melded), he still takes his turn in turn with the other players, and he still must draw a card and discard. A player who is down can play his cards on the melds that have been completed either by himself or by other players. For example, if a player has laid down a set of 3 8's, and on a subsequent turn he then draws another 8, he can play this 8 on his set of 8's. He does this by placing the 8 with the set of 8's. If he has a card that he would like to play on a run, he must be sure to keep the order of the run. For example, if there is a run of 5 consisting of 4-5-6-7-8 of clubs, the player can play a 3 of clubs or a 9 of clubs. If a run has a wild card in it, the player can replace the wild card with the appropriate card (that player can then place the wild card on any melds). For example, if the run had 5-6-Joker-8-9 of clubs and he had a 7 of clubs, he could replace the Joker with the 7 of clubs. Unlike the limitation of the number of wild cards in the original meld, there is no limitation as to how many wild cards can be put into a hand that is already down.

Winning the game[edit]

Play progresses until one of the players 'goes out,' meaning he is able to discard the last card in his hand. That player is then the winner of that hand, and the hand is then over. The winner for the hand gets zero points, and the other players count their cards to determine their score for the hand. After all seven hands are played, the winner is the player with the lowest score.

Sequence of Hands[edit]

Rule charts[edit]

Number of decks required[edit]

• 2 decks: up to 4 people
• 3 decks: 5-6 people
• 4 decks: 7-8 people

Note: Increase the number of decks beyond 4 to allow more than 8 players

Points[edit]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

1. ^Katz, Nikki (2004). The Everything Card Games Book. Avon, Mass: Adams Media. p. 146. ISBN1-59337-130-6. OCLC777401280. OL8872478M.

External links[edit]

Rummy is a card game in which you try to improve the hand that you’re originally dealt. You can do this whenever it’s your turn to play, either by drawing cards from a pile (or stock) or by picking up the card thrown away by your opponent and then discarding a card from your hand.

You can play Rummy with two or more players (for six or more players, you need a second deck of cards). You’ll also need a paper and pencil for scoring.Learn how to play Rummy and other basics including rules, scoring, and how to win!

The objective of Rummy

Contract Rummy Online

Your aim is to put (or meld) your cards into two types of combinations:

• Runs: Consecutive sequences of three or more cards of the same suit

• Sets (or Books): Three or four cards of the same rank. If you are using two decks, a set may include two identical cards of the same rank and suit.

This figure shows some legitimate Rummy combinations.

This figure shows an unacceptable combination. This run is illegal because all cards in a run must be of the same suit.

In most Rummy games, unlike the majority of other card games, aces can be high or low, but not both. So, runs involving the ace must take the form A-2-3 or A-K-Q but not K-A-2.

How To Play Contract Rummy

The first person who manages to make his whole hand into combinations one way or another, with one card remaining to discard, wins the game.

How to play Rummy

Follow the rules and instructions below to understand how to play Rummy from start to finish:

1. Each player is dealt a certain number of cards from the deck. When playing Rummy with two, three, or four players, each player gets ten cards; when playing with five players, each player gets six cards. With more than five players, you must use two decks of cards and a hand of seven cards. The two-player game can also be played with seven cards each.
2. Designate a scorer and a dealer at the start of the game. Then, the dealer deals out the hands and puts the undealt cards face-down on the center of the table as the stock, placing the top card, turned upward, beside the stock as the first card of the discard pile.
3. The player to the left of the dealer plays first. She can either pick up the card on the discard pile or the top card from the stock. If she can put some or all of her hand into combinations, she may do so. If not, she discards one card from her hand, face-up onto the discard pile, and the turn of play moves to the next player.
4. The next player can either pick up the last card the previous player discarded or the top card from the stock. He can then meld some or all of his cards down in combinations. The play continues clockwise around the table. When the stock runs out, shuffle the discard pile and set it up again.

Other Rummy rules and tips

Now that you know the objective of the game and the basic instructions to play, here is a small list of additional Rummy rules and common tips to abide by:

• You cannot pick up the top discard and then throw the card back onto the pile.
• If you pick up two cards from the stock by accident and see either of them, you must put the bottom card back, which gives the next player an additional option. She can look at the returned card and take it if she wants it. If she doesn’t want it, she puts it back into the middle of the stock and continues with her turn by taking the next card from the stock.
• When you pick up a card from the stock that you don’t want, don’t throw it away immediately. Put the card into your hand and then extract it. No player, regardless of skill level, needs to give gratuitous information away.

Rummying with wild cards

Contract Rummy App

You can play Rummy with wild cards by adding Jokers to the deck, or you can make the 2s or some other number wild.

You can substitute the card represented by a wild card when it is your turn to play. So, if a combination including a Joker, standing in for the King of Clubs is put on the table, the next player can put in the King of Clubs and pick up the Joker for use elsewhere.

Contract Rummy Hands

If you put down two eights and a joker, you do not have to announce which eight the joker represents, but with a run such as 5-6-Joker, the assumption is that the joker represents the 7.

Rummy Game By Hand

When playing with wild cards, you may not want to put combinations containing wild cards down immediately; you don’t want to give another player the use of a wild card by way of the substitution. Of course, if you feel obliged to put down the set or run, try to ensure that the card your wild card replaces has already been played in some other set or run.