Rummy Terminology: 15 Terms Every Player Should Know

You can be new to rummy games, or just someone wanting to sharpen your skills. Understanding the language of the game can improve your gameplay experience, helping you with better and faster communication and decision-making.

Playing against the pros, you will find people using certain terms that you cannot understand. However, these are essential to a rummy game, and knowing these can help you get an edge over casual players. You will be able to understand the game better and come up with smarter strategies.

15 Rummy Terms Every Player Should Know

Here are the 15 key rummy game terms that you must know.

1. Deck/ Pack

A deck or a pack is a standard set of 52 cards. These cards can be categorised into four suits, with 13 cards under each suit. A deck can also include one or two jokers.

2. Suit/ Rank

Suit refers to the categories of cards. The categories are Hearts (♥), Diamonds (♦), Spades (♠), and Clubs (♣). There are thirteen cards of different ranks for each suit. The ranks are A-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-J-Q-K.

Ace (A) can be of a big or a small rank, depending on the game variants. King (K), Queen (Q), and Jack (J) are big values. Those from 1 to 10 are the numbered cards.

3. Points/ Points Value

Points are the numerical value assigned to every card. This value is used for scoring purposes. The face cards (King, Queen, Jack) carry 10 points each, as does Ace. The points of numbered cards are the same as their face value.

4. Meld

A meld is when cards are grouped in an acceptable sequence or set. For example, three 7s can be a meld (a set). Similarly, 8♥-9♥-10♥ is also a valid meld (a sequence).

5. Set

A set is a group of three or four cards of different suits but of the same rank. For example, 5♠-5♦-5♣ or four Queens.

6. Pure and Impure Sequence/ Run

A sequence (or run) is a group of three or more consecutive cards having the same suit, for example, 4♥-5♥-6♥.

A sequence is termed pure in the absence of a Joker/wildcard, which substitutes a missing card. When one is used, an impure sequence will be formed.

7. Face Card

Face cards are ones that have the images printed on them, i.e., the King, Queen, and Jack. There are 12 face cards in a standard deck. This is because there are 3 face cards (K, Q & J) in each of the four suits (♥, ♦, ♠ & ♣).

8. Joker/ Wildcard/ Printed Joker/ Wild Joker

Joker, wild joker, and printed joker refer to cards that you can use as wildcards. A wildcard is used for replacing any other missing card in sets and sequences.

Printed jokers are cards with the image of a jester printed. So, printed jokers always serve as a wild card in rummy games.

The Wild Joker is chosen at random at the start of the game and acts as the Joker for that particular hand. In the presence of consecutive cards, the Wild Joker is treated as a regular card. For instance, the 4♥ can be assigned the Wild Joker. If you have the 3♥, 5♥, and 6♥, then the 3♥-4♥-5♥-6♥ pure sequence will be formed.

9. Closed/ Open Deck

A closed deck is the set of cards placed face down and yet to be revealed/ used in the game. You can draw a card for this pile on your turn. An open deck is the pile of cards that are discarded face-up by players. Anyone can pick cards from the open deck. The closed deck contains new cards, while the open deck offers revealed ones.

10. Drop/ Discard

Dropping happens when you or another player chooses to exit the game. This will generally involve a penalty of point deductions from the score. You can drop if you have a weak hand or are about to lose.

Discarding is a compulsory action if you are not ready to declare a meld of all your cards. Discarding happens when players get rid of a card from their hand after they draw a card and end their turn. One card must be discarded into the open deck after one is drawn from the open/closed deck.

11. Pick/ Draw

Picking or drawing is the act of taking a card at the beginning of one’s turn. You can take one from the open deck (previously discarded cards) or the closed deck (undealt cards).

12. Valid/ Invalid Declaration

To make a valid declaration, there should be at least one pure sequence, while the rest of the cards form valid sequences or sets. The declaration will be invalid if any of the requirements of a valid declaration are not met. For example, not forming a pure sequence or failing to make a valid combination of all the cards.

13. Deadwood/ Unmatched/ Unarranged Cards

Deadwood is the term used to refer to unmatched cards. These are the cards that don’t form any sequence or set. Deadwood is typically held by losing players.

14. Show

A show is when the player declares that their hand is arranged in a complete meld, indicating the end of a round. With a meld of sets and sequences ready, the player gets ready to finish the game. The show involves laying down the cards on the table for validation.

15. Deal

A deal is a single round in a rummy game. Cards are dealt to the players, where their goal is to form arrangements of valid sequences and sets. Players have to keep their points at a minimum, as the lowest scorer after a certain number of deals becomes the winner.

Ready To Play Rummy?

Mastering the terminology of rummy games can help you communicate confidently with other players. You will enjoy faster gameplay and be able to think of better strategies. So, learn these 15 terms, download a rummy app, and enjoy a smooth gaming experience.