Learn to Play

Arlington

A monumental card game!
Game Type
Rummy
Age
13+
Players
4, 5+

The Pack

Use two 52-card decks and add in 1 Joker, for a total of 105 cards -  all 2's and Jokers are wild cards.

Object of the Game

To win a Hand by scoring the most points by melds to the table. To win a Game by winning the most total points across 7 hands.

Card Values/scoring

The rank of the cards is-- A, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, J, Q, K, A.The partnership that rummies gets a hand bonus of 100 points for hands 1 through 3.

This hand bonus increases to--

  • 200 points for hand 4

  • 300 points for hand 5

  • 400 points for hand 6

  • 500 points for hand 7

Here are the points scored for each melded card --

  • Joker (used as a wild card) = 50 points

  • 2 (used as a wild card) = 25 points

  • Ace = 15 points

  • K, Q, J, 10 = 10 points

  • 9,8,7,6,5,4,3 = 5 points

For the side that did not rummy, subtract these points for each card still in their hands

  • Joker = 100 points

  • 2 = 50 points

  • Ace = 15 points

  • K, Q, J, 10 = 10 points

  • 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3 = 5 points

The Deal

This game can be played by 2, 3, or 4 players individually, or by 4 players in 2 partnerships of 2 players each. Deal 13 cards to each player. All remaining cards become the draw pile - there is no discard pile in this game.

The Play

On their turn, a player draws 1 card from the top of the draw pile. The player may exchange a natural card for any 2 or Joker his opponents have played as a wild card in their melds.You may not take up 2's or Jokers that are not used as Wild cards.  Once you have exchanged for a 2 or Joker and taken it into your hand, you may use it whenever you like. You may not exchange for a wild card in your own or your partner's melds, you may only exchange for wild cards used in your opponents' melds.

If you have not yet played your contract meld to the table and are able to do so, you play it now.

If you have already played your contract meld to the table, you may play any additional melds to the table you like or lay off either 1 or 2 additional matching cards to any of the existing melds created by yourself or your partner.

If you have more than 1 card in your hand, you now display 1 card to your opponent to your left and ask if they want it. If yes, the player takes it into their hand. If no, you offer the card to the remaining 2 players around the table in clockwise order until someone accepts it into their hand. If no one accepts the potential discard, you keep it in your hand.

If you only have 1 card left in your hand at the end of your turn, you say "1 card"  and do not offer a potential discard to the next player.

Aces and wild cards (2's and Jokers) are only offered to the next player to your left. If they do not accept it into their hand, you do not offer it to the other players.  Instead you merely keep it in your hand.

Whenever a player accepts and takes an Ace, 2, or Joker into their hand as an opponent's discard, that player skips step (1) and does not draw a card from the draw pile at his next turn.  Aces, 2's, and Jokers are thus stop cards -- they stop an opponent from drawing a card at the start of their turn. For all other potential discards, whether a player accepts them into their hand or not, they always draws one card from the draw pile to start their turn.

End of a Hand

A hand ends in either of two ways

o    Any player goes out ("rummies") by melding their last card to the table, or

o    A player draws the last card from the draw pile and does not go out.  They melds any last cards, then do not offer a potential discard and play stops.