Liverpool Rummy, Shanghai Rummy, Joker Rummy, Continental Rummy, Combination Rummy, May I and King Rummy are some other popular names by which this game is known as. This game supposedly evolved from a game known as Zioncheck, the brainchild of Ruth Armson. Once in 1950, Albert Morehead stated that Contract Rummy “is one of the most popular games played by women’s clubs and card-playing groups that meet regularly.”
The game consists of a succession of rounds. For each round, there is a different Contract. Before melding, players have to accumulate specific sets and sequences. The game is played with two regular decks of 52 cards including Jokers as the wild cards. The number of players ranged from 3 to 5. Ranking for cards ascends in the order; 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Jack Queen King Ace.
The objective of the game is to meld and lay off all your cards into combinations. But, you must begin by first completing or fulfilling your contract for the current round. The two types of melds are-
1. A sequence consisting of at least four cards of the same suit in series, such as
2. A set consisting of three cards of the same rank, irrespective of the suit, such as
There are seven rounds altogether. In the first three rounds, each player receives 10 cards. In the last four, they receive 12 cards each.
Rounds are as:
1. Two groups of 3s
2. One group of 3 and 1 group of 4
3. Two Sequences of 4
4. Three groups of 3
5. Two groups of 3 and 1 sequence of 4
6. One group of 3 and 2 sequences of 4
7. Three sequences of 4 and no discard
For every turn, the player:
a) Must either draw the top card of the closed deck or take the top card of the discard pile. A player who chooses to draw a card from the stockpile must first give any other player who wishes the opportunity to take the discard.
b) May or may not meld sets from hand face-up on the table. When melding, the player must lay down exactly the combination of sets as required by the contract for the round.
c) May or may not lay off cards to sets already been melded – both your own and those melded by your opponents.
d) Must end the turn by discarding one card from your hand and place it face-up on top of the discard pile.
Play continues to turn wise until one person gets rid of all the cards from his or her hand.
At the end of the game, the cards are tallied and valued as follows for scoring purposes:
Jokers 15
Aces 15
Faces 10
Numbered cards have a value equal to their face value.
At the end of all the rounds, the player with the least points wins.
