How to Play Five Hundred Rummy

Five Hundred Rummy is a friendly card game about building useful combinations and making smart choices with the discard pile. You need a normal deck of cards to play. If you need one, you can find a regular deck of playing cards from Playmore. This guide uses one common version of Five Hundred Rummy; family and regional house rules can vary.

Quick facts

Players	2–8
Playing time	About 20–45 minutes
Cards	One standard 52-card deck; use two decks for five or more players
Goal	Be the first player to reach 500 points
Main actions	Draw, make melds, lay off cards, and discard

What you are trying to do

Your goal is to score at least 500 points over several hands. You score by placing cards into melds, which are valid groups or sequences on the table. A group is three or four cards of the same rank, such as three 8s. A sequence is three or more cards in order and in the same suit, such as the 4, 5, and 6 of hearts.

When a player gets rid of every card in their hand, the hand ends. Everyone then adds the value of cards they played and subtracts the value of cards still in their hand. This means a large hand of unplayed cards can erase a good part of your score, so do not only chase big melds; try to keep your hand manageable too.

What you need

Use a standard 52-card deck. For five to eight players, two shuffled decks make the game more comfortable and provide enough cards. In the two-deck version, a group still uses different suits, so you do not place two identical-suit cards in the same group.

You also need a flat playing surface and something for scorekeeping, such as paper and a pencil or a notes app. Card values are their printed numbers for 2 through 10. A jack, queen, or king is worth 10 points. An ace is worth 15 points, except when it is used as the low end of an ace-2-3 sequence, where it is worth 1 point. If your group includes jokers, each joker is worth 15 points and acts as a wild card, but the basic beginner game can be played without them.

Set it up

Choose a dealer at random. Deal one card at a time clockwise, beginning with the player on the dealer’s left. In a game with three to eight players, deal seven cards to each person. In a two-player game, deal 13 cards to each person.

Place the remaining cards face down in the middle. This is the stock, or draw pile. Turn its top card face up beside it to begin the discard pile. Spread the discard pile slightly so players can see the cards below the top card. The player to the dealer’s left takes the first turn.

How to play

1. Draw one or more cards. You may take the top card of the stock, or you may choose a card from the discard pile. If you choose a card that is not on top, you must also pick up every card above it. The chosen card must immediately be used in a new meld or laid off on a meld already on the table. The other cards you picked up may be used now or kept in your hand.
2. Make melds if you want. Put a valid group or sequence face up in front of you. A group contains three or four cards with the same rank, such as 9♣, 9♦, and 9♥. A sequence contains at least three consecutive cards of one suit, such as 7♠, 8♠, and 9♠. An ace may be low, as in A-2-3, or high, as in Q-K-A, but it cannot wrap around in K-A-2.
3. Lay off extra cards. To lay off means to add a card to a meld already on the table. You can complete a three-card group with its fourth suit, or extend a sequence at either end. You may add to your own melds or another player’s melds. Keep cards you lay off in front of yourself so you receive their points later, and say which meld you are extending if the choice is unclear.
4. Discard one card. Unless you have played every card in your hand, place one card face up on top of the discard pile. If you took only the top discard, you must discard a different card. If you picked up several discards, you may discard any card after melding, including the card that was previously on top.
5. Continue clockwise. The next player repeats the same three-part turn: draw, meld or lay off, then discard. Watch the visible discard pile carefully. A card buried below several discards may be valuable, but taking it also gives you all the cards above it.

If you use jokers, announce what specific card each joker represents when you play it. It keeps that identity for the rest of the hand. A joker cannot make an impossible group, such as four kings plus a joker when there is no legal fifth-suit king available.

How you win

A hand ends as soon as someone has no cards left, either by melding their last cards or by melding all but one and discarding the final card. The hand can also end when the stock is empty and the player whose turn it is does not want to take from the discard pile.

Now score the hand. Add the point values of all cards you have melded or laid off. Then subtract the values of cards remaining in your hand. Add that result to your running total, even if it is negative. Start another hand if nobody has reached 500. The first player whose total is 500 or more wins. If several players pass 500 in the same hand, the player with the highest total wins.

Easy first-game tips

Sort your hand by suit and rank so possible sequences are easy to spot. Hold onto cards that connect in two ways, such as a middle card in a same-suit run, but do not protect a weak combination forever. Before discarding, check whether you are giving the next player the exact card they need.

Use the discard pile with care. Taking a deep card can give you a large choice of cards, yet it also increases the number of unmelded cards you must manage. Meld a safe group or short sequence when you can, then look for chances to extend it. Laying off on another player’s meld can empty your hand quickly, but it also tells everyone what kind of cards may be useful to you. Finally, keep track of your score after every hand; a small positive score is often better than a risky play that leaves many high-value cards stranded.

Quick questions

Can I take only one card from the middle of the discard pile?

No. If you take a card that is not on top, you must take that card and every discard above it, and you must immediately use the selected card in a meld or layoff.

Can an ace be used after a king and before a two?

No. An ace can be low in A-2-3 or high in Q-K-A, but a sequence cannot go around the corner as K-A-2.