Rummy, a classic card game, is one of the most popular games played online as well as offline. The game requires skill, strategy and analytical abilities to win. It dates back to the 19th century and is believed to have originated in Spain. It later spread across the American continents once the Spaniards began immigrating there. The game was originally named conquian and has since evolved into several variations, including Indian rummy.
Rummy has many variations, but the basic concepts of the game remain more or less the same across variants. The main goal of the game is to arrange the cards dealt at the beginning of the game in required combinations and make a valid declaration. Presence of mind and concentration are the key to playing this game. Since rummy is so popular, especially in India, it is now offered online by many apps and websites. You can download a popular, trusted rummy app from the Play Store and play Indian rummy games for free on your mobile anytime, anywhere.
Now that you know how significant rummy is in the family of card games, dive into the tricks of the trade so that you can beat even the best of rummy players from across the country. Here are 8 tips and tricks to keep in mind while playing a game of rummy:
- Keep your hand organized: Keeping your cards organized is a crucial step in playing the game well. It is advisable to arrange your card groups by alternating colors. That means you should not place two card groups of the same-color suit next to each other but place red and black suit card groups next to each other. That will help remove any possible confusion and help you to avoid discarding useful cards by mistake.
- Keep track of your opponents’ moves: Cards that your opponent discards might be useful to you. Always keep track of the cards that are being played. Keep an eye on the cards your opponent discards and the cards they pick from the open deck. This will not only help you pick useful cards to form your own combinations but also give you an idea of your opponents’ progress and card requirement.
- Discard unmatched high cards early on: Keeping unmatched high cards like the king, queen, jack and the ace is very risky since they are worth 10 points each. If you’re unable to use them in a sequence or set and your opponent declares their hand, these cards will increase your margin of loss. Thus, it is wise to discard such cards after your third turn at the latest in case you are unable to use them in any sequence or set.
- Prefer picking and retaining middle cards: Middle cards offer more flexibility in making a sequence and hence should be preferred over high cards and low cards. Since they are more versatile, more combinations are possible to form using middle cards than using high or low cards. For example, you have an ace and a three of hearts and are waiting for the 2 of hearts. If you get a four of hearts, keep the four and discard the ace. This way, you can make a combination of either 2-3-4 or 3-4-5, instead of having to wait only for the 2 of hearts.
- Prefer retaining consecutive cards to alternate ones: Similar to the previous tip, this trick also doubles your probability of making a required combination. For example, you have the 8 of hearts and the 10 of hearts, and you get the 7 of the same suit. In such a case, you should keep the 7 and discard the 10 of hearts.
- Retain jokers: Jokers are very important as you can use a joker as a replacement for a missing card in a sequence or a set. However, avoid using a joker in a pure sequence as that would turn it into an impure sequence and a pure sequence is mandatory for a valid declaration. However, you do not need to worry about that if you already have a pure sequence.
- Trick your opponent: Getting the cards you want from your opponent is an art. If you can trick your opponent into believing that the incomplete sequence/set in your hand is not the one you are trying to make, the opponent might discard a card that you need. For example, you have the 8 of hearts, the 8 of diamonds and the 9 of spades. In such a case, you should discard the nine and you might trick your opponent into discarding the 8 of spades if they have that. The 8 of spades will help you complete your set.
- Know the rules and the exceptions: Of course, you should know all the rules and exceptions very well. For example, if you do not have a pure sequence, the points of all your cards are added up to calculate your penalty points irrespective of the impure sequences and sets you have formed. So you should be well aware of all rules and exceptions.
Using these tips and tricks, even those who are new to the game can often fare well. However, remember that these are just tips and not a guarantee of winning games. Sometimes discarding a joker might just be the best thing to do, and sometimes you might make a sequence using high cards. The only guarantee is that you will have a lot of fun playing rummy online with players from across the country. So download a rummy app now and start playing!
You can also play rummy for real money and win cash prizes on a certified and trusted cash rummy app. However, don’t forget to play some free practice games to sharpen your skills and get the hang of the platform before playing cash games. Once you have gained confidence, you can then play rummy online for real money and win big cash prizes. Happy gaming!