Rummy Glossary

Introduction

Welcome to the Rummy Glossary, your one-stop shop for all that Rummy gibberish. This guide will benefit you, whether you're experienced or new.

We have broken down all the important and difficult terms in an easy-to-understand language.

Objective

The objective is to make you sound like a Rummy pro and help you understand the complex Rummy terms.

What is Rummy Terms/Glossary

101 Pool - A type of Rummy where players get eliminated once they reach the maximum points of 101. Eventually, only one player remains and is declared the winner.  A player can drop out and re-join in any round on certain conditions.

201 Pool - Similar to 101, players in 201 Rummy get eliminated once they reach the maximum points, i.e., 201. Eventually, only one player remains and is declared the winner.  A player can drop out and re-join in any round on certain conditions.

Aces - There are 4 Aces in a standard 52 deck card, i.e., spade, hearts, clubs and diamonds. You can use Aces as the lowest card or highest card. This means you can make a combination as A-2-3 or A-K-Q.

Best of Three - It is one of the variations of Rummy with three rounds. The player who scores fewer points wins.                       

Buy-in - The cash you need to enter a Rummy Tournament. Every tournament has a definite buy-in range, with the maximum and minimum amounts specified.

Cash Games - As the name suggests, you play Rummy with real cash. There’s usually a fixed buy-in to participate in the game. The buy-in also helps in forming the prize pool.

Chips - These are virtual currencies used to play rummy. The aim is to win chips from other players, and the player with the most chips wins the game.

Closed Deck - Once the cards have been dealt to each player, the remaining cards form a closed deck. The closed deck is placed face down.

Cut Joker - Once the closed deck has been formed, the dealer picks the next card and opens it. This is the Cut Joker, and it can be any card with the same rank in any suit. 

Deadwood - Deadwood is a card that is not part of the meld. Players usually try to have less deadwood as they won’t be able to form a set or sequence.

Deal - At the start of every hand, cards are distributed to every player by the dealer. This is known as the Deal.

Dealer - The person who deals the cards at the start of every hand.

Deck - The set of cards. A regular deck has 52 cards.

Declare - After a player completes his hand into 4 valid sets, they declare to complete the game.

Discard - This card you put back after drawing one from the stockpile.

Discard Pile - The pile of discarded cards next to the closed deck.

Draw - Drawing a card means taking a card either from a closed deck or a discard pile.

Drop - During some Rummy games, a player can Drop or leave at the start or in the middle of a round to save points.

Face Card - Any King, Queen, or Jack is a face card.

Full Count - Full count is the maximum possible score in a game.

Game - A game could have a single, multiple, or even an unspecified number of rounds. It either targets a minimum score or a fixed number of rounds.

Hand - The cards dealt to a player or the cards at any instant or an entire round of Rummy.

Impure Sequence - It is a sequence of cards of the same suit. An Impure Sequence can use a Joker card.

Joker - A declared wild card which can be used as a substitute for any card to form a set.

Meld - The probable sets.

Melding - Arranging the cards in the hand into sets.

Points - Point is the scoring system used to determine the winner. In the end, players calculate points based on the cards left in their hands and the goal is to have fewer cards.

Points Value - The value assigned to each card is called point value. The value can vary based on the variation. However, all the face cards, such as King, Queen, and Jack, are worth 10 points each. Ace can be worth 1 point or 10 points based on the variation. Lastly, all the number cards are worth their face value.

Points Rummy - Points rummy is a popular variant of Rummy. You will have to make a pure sequence and an impure sequence. The player with zero points wins.

Pool Rummy - Another variation of the classic rummy where players who score zero first win as points have a negative value.

Nichlu - All those cards that are immediately below Titlu in the same suit are called Nichlu.

Paper Joker - In Rummy, apart from the 52 cards in the deck, there are 2 cards with a face of Joker on them. They act as default wild cards along with Cut Jokers.

Paplu - All those cards immediately above Titlu in the same suit are called Paplu.

Pip Value - Pips are small designs used to denote suits. The count of pips in the centre of the numbered cards is its Pip value.

Player - A person or user taking part in the game.

Pure Sequence - It is a sequence of cards of the same suit. A Pure Sequence cannot use a Joker card.

Rank - The position or rating of a card in a series.

Round - A single deal of the game.

Score - The total points added up for each player.

Sequence - A group of cards in series. 

Set - A set is a group of cards of a fixed pattern. In Rummy, sets are of two types: a sequence or cards of the same face value.

Shuffle - Randomizing the cards before dealing. 

Suit - Spades, clubs, hearts, and diamonds are the four suits in a deck. Unique pips denote each suit.

Titlu - At the beginning of the 21-card rummy, a card is randomly selected and called Titlu. All cards of the same rank as the Titlu can be used as jokers.

Trinala - In a 21 card rummy, three cards of the same suit & same rank are called trinala. Trinala can also be used as a pure sequence.

Unmatched Cards - Just like Deadwood cards, unmatched cards are not part of any suit or sequence.

Wild Card -  A card entitled to any rank and suit in a game. In Rummy games,  Jokers form a set of wild cards.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the term rummy stand for?

Rummy is a card game where players meld cards, and the player with zero cards wins.

What is the name of the 13-card rummy?

13- card rummy is also known as Paplu.

What are 10 points in rummy?

All the King, Queen, and Jack are worth 10 points each. Based on the game’s variation, Aces are also considered to be worth 10 points.

Why is it called rummy?

The origin theory is still a mystery, however, some theories suggest that the game rummy came from a British slang called Rum. The slang means weird, odd, or queer.

What is rummy slang?

It’s a slang word for a drunkard in the US and Canada.

Conclusion

Hopefully, this comprehensive guide has given you a better understanding of common terms and phrases used in Rummy. Having a strong knowledge of the basics can help you enhance your game.

Now, next time you sit for a game of rummy, feel free to use this guide.