Shanghai Rummy

Shanghai rummy is played with several decks of 54 regular playing cards, together with the Joker (playing card) Wilds. Aces are ranking high (above a King), and Jokers and deuces are wild. The number of decks varies from 2 to 4, and is depending upon the number of players.

 

Every game is based on 10 hands, and the rules for each hand are distinctive. One player starts as dealer for the first hand, and the person to the dealer’s left turns to be dealer for the next hand, and so on. Each person is dealt eleven cards.

 

The remaining deck is next placed face down in the center of the players; this is called as the stock. One card is taken from the top of the stock and placed face up next to it. This card is known as the upcard and becomes the beginning of the discard pile.

 

A player can draw his card from the stock or the upcard. He has to choose any card in his hand to discard, and he places this card face up on the discard pile. That card turns to be the new upcard, which the next player in turn can take or other players can buy.

 

The object of each hand is to come up with the correct combination of cards to be able to meld, or “lay out”. A player should have both a set of 3 cards and a run of 4 cards in his hand to meld. Only when it is his turn a player can meld.