How to Play Contract Rummy

Contract Rummy is a friendly seven-round card game in which your goal changes from round to round. You need a normal deck of cards, plus extra cards for a full group, and a place to track scores. You can find a regular deck of playing cards from Playmore. This guide uses one common version; house rules can vary, so agree on small differences before you begin.

Quick facts

Players	Cards	Rounds	Best for
3–6	2 decks for 3–4; 3 decks for 5–6	7	Families and beginner groups

What you are trying to do

Each round has a contract, meaning a required pattern of cards. You try to complete that pattern, place it on the table, and then get rid of the rest of your cards. The first player to empty their hand ends the round. Everyone else adds points for cards still in hand. After all seven rounds, the player with the lowest total score wins.

There are two important patterns. A set, also called a group or book, is three or more cards of the same rank, such as 8♣, 8♦, and 8♥. A run, also called a sequence, is four or more cards in order and in the same suit, such as 4♠, 5♠, 6♠, and 7♠. An ace may be low or high, so A-2-3-4 and J-Q-K-A work, but Q-K-A-2 does not.

What you need

For three or four players, use two standard 52-card decks. For five or six players, use three decks. Add jokers so that the total number of jokers is one fewer than the number of players: two jokers for three players, three for four, four for five, and five for six. If your decks do not contain enough jokers, simply leave out the extra ones and agree that fewer wild cards are being used.

You also need a pencil and paper or a notes app, because each round produces a score. Shuffle all the cards together. In this guide, jokers are wild, meaning they can stand for a missing card in a set or run.

Set it up

Choose a first dealer at random. The dealer gives each player cards face down, one at a time, moving clockwise. Deal 10 cards to each player in rounds 1–3, and 12 cards each in rounds 4–7. Put the unused cards face down in the middle as the stock, the pile you draw from. Turn one card face up beside it to begin the discard pile, where players place unwanted cards. The player to the dealer’s left goes first. After each round, the deal moves left.

Here is the contract schedule. The numbers in parentheses show the minimum cards in the required contract.

Round	Contract
1	Two sets of 3 (6 cards)
2	One set of 3 and one run of 4 (7 cards)
3	Two runs of 4 (8 cards)
4	Three sets of 3 (9 cards)
5	Two sets of 3 and one run of 4 (10 cards)
6	One set of 3 and two runs of 4 (11 cards)
7	Three runs of 4, with no discard (12 cards)

How to play

1. Draw one card. On your turn, take the top card of the stock or the top card of the discard pile. If you take the discard, you may use it immediately or save it in your hand.
2. Give others a chance to take the discard. If you draw from the stock instead, another player may say “May I?” and take the top discard out of turn. That player also takes one penalty card from the stock. If several players want it, the player nearest the active player in clockwise order has priority. The original player then continues their turn by drawing from the stock. You may leave this optional rule out for a simpler first game.
3. Make your contract. You may place cards face up only when you can show the complete contract for that round. Your first meld, meaning cards placed face up as a group, must contain exactly the required minimum combination. For example, in round 2 you must put down one set and one four-card run together. You cannot put down just part of it.
4. Wait before adding more. You may not add extra cards to your first contract on that same turn. On later turns, after you have completed your contract, you may lay off cards by adding them to any matching set or run on the table, including another player’s melds. You may add as many as you like, provided each card fits.
5. Discard. End most turns by placing one card face up on the discard pile. In round 7, you must complete all three four-card runs with your 12-card hand and go out without discarding. The first meld in that round must therefore use the whole hand.
6. Continue clockwise. Keep drawing, melding, laying off, and discarding until someone has no cards left. If the stock runs out, leave its top discard in place, shuffle the rest of the discard pile, and make a new stock.

When a contract requires two or more runs, runs in the same suit are allowed only if they overlap or have a gap; they cannot be two neighboring sections of one longer run.

How you win

When a player goes out, the round ends. That player scores zero for cards left in hand. Every other player totals their remaining cards: number cards are worth their printed value, face cards are worth 10 points, and aces and jokers are worth 15 points. Write down each score, then begin the next round with the deal passing to the left. After round 7, add all seven round scores. The smallest total wins.

Easy first-game tips

Look at the contract before you make any decisions. In an early round, a pair of matching ranks may be useful for a set, while four cards in one suit may grow into a run. Do not rush to lay down a contract just because you can; holding a useful card for one more turn may help you empty your hand faster.

Keep your hand organized by suit for runs and by rank for sets. Watch the discard pile, too: it tells you what other players may be collecting. Save high cards and jokers when possible, but do not cling to them if they are blocking your plan. Most importantly, say your possible contract aloud before laying it down so everyone can check it together.

Quick questions

Can I use a joker in my contract?

Yes. A joker can stand for a missing card in a set or run. A joker in a run may be replaced later by the natural card it represents; a joker in a set stays there for the round.

Do I have to complete my contract before laying off?

Yes. You must complete your round’s full contract first, and you can begin laying off on a later turn. Until then, keep building your own hand.