How To Play Gin Rummy Card Game

500 Rummy, Rummy 500 or 500 Rum, and occasionally misnamed Gin Rummy, this version of rummy has some expanded rules that allow more flexibility than regular rummy games. A series of several hands are played and scored based on the cards that have been played onto the table. When a player's score reaches 500 the game ends and that player wins. This game has many variations and some players have their own "house rules" of play. It is a very adaptable game and is fun to play no matter how it has been adjusted.

The Deal and the Deck

The game is played with a 52-card deck plus two jokers. If more than five people are playing, two decks should be shuffled together. It is possible to play the game with any number of people, but is best between two and eight players.

The dealer is chosen at random and each player is dealt cards, one at a time until each player has seven cards. The remaining cards are put in the middle of the table, face down to become the pick-up pile and the top card of that pile is turned over next to it to start the discard pile. Once a few rounds have been played each player may choose to pick up a card from further down the discard pile, but must take all of the cards that are on top of it also. The bottom card that was picked up must be used in a meld immediately. If the player chooses only the top card, it does not need to be used immediately.