Rummy (also known as Regular, Straight, Basic or Standard Rummy) is a traditional card game very popular in India. It is a pastime enjoyed by people from all walks of life, be it the commuters in crowded trains in India, housewives gathering together for kitty parties, retired persons meeting in clubs, or friends who meet regularly to play Rummy.
There are many variations of the card game rummy but all of them share a common set of features found in a basic Rummy game. In Rummy, a standard deck of 52 cards is used. The cards rank from 2 (low) to Ace (high). Rummy can be played to a certain score, or to a fixed number of deals.
Generally Rummy is played for small stakes. This is a mild form of gambling, but in practice harmless. Players enjoy the game of Rummy and do not mind losing an affordable amount of money. India’s passion with Rummy is so great that commuters can spend over an hours playing Rummy in trains and buses. Some even begin by traveling in the opposite direction to the train’s starting point to occupy their “regular” seats. Housewives take turns to gather their friends for whole afternoon of Rummy at home, eating and chitchatting. Many groups go out on weekends / holidays to a nearby resort just to get long undisturbed hours for playing Rummy. There are clubs in metro cities where elite groups indulge in playing Rummy with their associates or friends.
Whichever part of India you belong to, you just can’t escape the Rummy fever.
