RUMMY or RUM is a card game which is said to have originated in Texas. It is played on the same lines as Coon-Can (q.v.), the object being to form in one's hand sequences of three cards or more of the same suit, or to collect three or more of a kind such as three knaves, or four sevens. The game is played by three, four or five players. Two full packs, properly shuffled, are used. Seven cards are dealt, one at a time, to each player, and the top card of the stock is turned face upwards on the table. The player on the left of the dealer must either take up the exposed card into his hand, or take the top unexposed one from the stock. *He then discards a card from his hand and places it, face upwards, on the top of, or in the place of, the exposed card, so that there is never more than one card exposed. The next player follows the same routine, and so it goes on round until someone calls "Rummy." Rummy is called when the counting cards, that is the cards in the caller's hand which do not form a sequence or three of a kind, count up to seven or less, court cards counting ten and an ace counting one. The figure seven seems rather high, but that is how it is played in England. Suppose that the seven cards dealt to a player are three knaves, the king of clubs, the seven and eight of spades, and the four of hearts. If he is lucky enough to pick up either the six or the nine of spades, he discards the king of clubs and he is left with a sequence in spades, three knaves, and the four of hearts, so he says "Rummy" at once.
Directly a player rummies that deal is finished, and all the hands are exposed and added up. A score has to be kept, and each player is debited with the amount of the counting cards in his hand, reckoned by pips. Court cards count ten each, aces one, and other cards their face value. Say that a player has in his hand two queens, three nines, and two fours, he would be debited with 28—ten each for the queens, and eight for the two fours ; the three nines are free. When a player's score amounts to oo he is out, but he has the right to buy himself in again at one point more than the next highest score.
Before commencing, each player contributes to the pool two counters, or units; the units may be given any value. When a player buys himself in he has to contribute three more units to the pool. Suppose a player goes over the ioo, and the other three scores are 57, 76, and 82, he can buy himself in again at 83 by subscribing an additional three units to the pool. Besides this
each player pays on every hand one unit for every completed ten; if his counting cards amount to 26 he pays two units, if they tot up to 41 he has to hand over four units, and so on. The players are reduced by elimination until there is only one left, and he takes the pool. (X.) The United States.—In the United States it is played differ ently in the British game. It is most often played by two. cept n "double rum," only one pack is used; another pack is out of play, at the left of the second dealer to mark that fact. Ten cards are dealt in "double rum," seven cards are dealt to each of two players in rum, or six cards in case more than two play. On the opening play, beginning with the player at the dealer's left, each player in turn may accept the exposed card or decline it; if all decline the exposed card, the eldest hand must accept it or draw from stock. No player can buy himself in again ; the game terminates when one player scores ioo points, and a new game starts with all players in it.
Three or more of a kind or a sequence of at least three cards may be played as made or may be retained in the hand. Any player may add a fourth card to an exposed three of a kind or he may add a single card at a time to an open end of an exposed sequence. After the claim of "rum" or "down" has been made the remaining players may board all threes or fours of a kind held; also each player may board completed sequences or add cards to sequences exposed. The player left with the smallest count in his hand collects from each other player the net difference in score left in the hand. Unless game is made before the stock becomes exhausted a collection and redeal is made of all cards exposed on the table; the new stock is boarded and its top card is exposed.
Variations that may be played are : A player able to board all his cards, in cards of a kind, in sequences, or by adding to boarded plays, scores 5o points bonus ; if another player can also claim a "slam," the latter scores the 5o points, also io points from the former slam claimant ; (2) the joker may be introduced and played as its holder wishes, either as a stop at one end of a se quence or as the fourth card of an exposed three of a kind; (3) a mistaken claim of ability to make any play adds io points to every other player's score. (E. V. S.)