Queen City Rum

This version is the same as regular Rummy except that seven cards are dealt to each player and the following special rules are observed:

Rank of Cards

K (high), Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, A. (In many forms of Rummy, the ace may rank either high or low.)

The Deal

Dealer gives one card at a time face down, beginning with the player on the left, with 7 cards being dealt to each player. The top card of the stock is turned face up and becomes the upcard. It is placed next to the stock to start the discard pile.

When two people play, the winner of each hand deals the next. When more than two play, the deal passes to next the player on the left.

Object of the Game

Each player tries to form matched sets consisting of groups of three or four of a kind, or sequences of three or more cards of the same suit.

The Play

Beginning with the player to the left of the dealer, players either draw the top card of the stock or takes the top card of the discard pile and adds it to their hand. The player may also lay down on the table, face up, any meld (matched set). If the player does not wish to lay down a meld, they discard one card, face up, onto the discard pile. If the player has drawn from the discard pile, he may not discard the same card on that turn.

A player may not meld until they can go rummy. When the player goes out, they may meld seven or eight cards, so that they need not discard (unless the discard helps him to go out.)

Laying Off

A player may add one or more from their hand to any matched set already shown on the table. Thus, if threes are showing, they may add the fourth three; if 10, 9, 8 are showing, they may add J, or Q, J, 7, or 7, 6.

Going Out

When a player gets rid of all of their cards, they win the game.

If all of a players remaining cards are matched, the player may lay them down without discarding on their last turn. This ends the game and there is no further play.

If the last card of the stock has been drawn and no player has gone out, the next player in turn may either take the top of the discard pile, or may turn the discard pile over to form a new stock (without shuffling it) and draw the top card. Play then proceeds as before.

How to Keep Score

A player goes "rummy" when they get rid of all cards in their hand at once, without previously having put down or laid off any cards.

The winner collects the point value of their hand from every opponent. A player does not collect the value of their opponents' hands, and is never paid double.