How to play Rummy
Rummy is the grandparent of every meld game, and the friendliest of them: your progress sits face-up on the table for everyone to see. Draw a card, build sets (three or four of a kind) and runs (three or more suited cards in sequence), and shed everything before your opponent does.
- Your turn — draw from the stock or the discard, meld and lay off as much as you like, then discard one card.
- Melding — select three or more cards that form a set or a run and lay them on the table.
- Laying off — a single card that extends ANY table meld — yours or the opponent's — can go down too.
- Going out — empty your hand to win the points left in your opponent's: aces 1, faces 10, the rest pip value. First to 100 wins the game.
Strategy tips that finish hands first
- Meld early, mostly. Cards on the table can never be counted against you. Hold a completed meld back only when you are close to going out and want the surprise.
- Mind what your melds unlock. Every run you lay is a lay-off ramp for your opponent too — a 4-5-6 invites their 3 and 7 out of their hand.
- Track the discard pile. What your opponent takes tells you their melds; what they throw tells you what is safe to throw back.
- Shed the expensive strays. An unconnected king is 10 points of risk every moment the opponent might go out.
- Watch the second stock. After the recycle, a dry stock voids the hand — if you are ahead on the table, play safe and let it die; if behind, take chances.
Frequently asked questions
What are the basic rules of Rummy?
Each player holds 10 cards. On your turn, draw from the stock or discard pile, then optionally meld — lay sets of a kind or suited runs of three or more on the table — and lay single cards off on any existing meld. End your turn with a discard. First player to empty their hand wins the points left in the opponent's hand.
What is the difference between Rummy and Gin Rummy?
In straight Rummy you meld to the table throughout the hand, and you can lay off on your opponent's melds at any time. In Gin Rummy everything stays hidden in your hand until someone knocks. Rummy is more open and gradual; Gin is a tense race.
Can I lay off cards on my opponent's melds?
Yes — that is the heart of straight Rummy. Any meld on the table, yours or theirs, can be extended: a fourth card of a set's rank, or the next card at either end of a run.
Do aces count high or low in Rummy?
Low, in this classic version: A-2-3 is a run, Q-K-A is not, and an ace left in your hand costs just 1 point. Face cards cost 10.
What happens if the stock runs out?
The discard pile is shuffled once to rebuild the stock. If the stock runs dry a second time, the hand is declared a draw and nobody scores — so don't sit on cards forever.
Can I play Rummy online for free against the computer?
Yes — this version runs entirely in your browser against a computer opponent, with nothing to download and no account needed. Your game saves automatically so you can resume any time.
More free card games
Prefer your melds hidden? Play Gin Rummy. Want trick-taking instead? Try Euchre or Spades.