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Official Rummy 500 Rules
Here's a breakdown of the rules for Rummy 500, a fun and strategic card game combining elements of rummy and canasta:
Objective
The goal in Rummy 500 is to be the first player (or team) to reach a score of 500 points by melding (laying down sets of cards) and going out (discarding your last card).
Card Values
Aces: 15 points (unless used in a straight)
Face cards (Kings, Queens, Jacks): 10 points
Number cards (2-10): Face value
Gameplay
Deal and Draw: Deal seven cards (five for a two-player game) to each player face down. Place the remaining deck face down in the center of the table (stockpile). Draw the top card from the deck and place it face up next to the stockpile to start the discard pile.
Turns: Play proceeds clockwise. On your turn, you can take one of the following actions:
Draw a Card: You can choose to draw either the top card from the stockpile (blind draw) or the top card from the discard pile. If you take from the discard pile, you must use that card immediately in a meld or discard another card.
Meld: Use cards from your hand to create melds and lay them face up on the table. Melds can be:
Sets: Three or four cards of the same rank (e.g., three Queens or four Sevens).
Runs: Three or more consecutive cards of the same suit (e.g., 5, 6, and 7 of Spades).
Discard: After taking a card (or not taking one), you must discard one card from your hand face up to the discard pile.
Adding to Melds: Unlike traditional rummy, any player can add cards to existing melds on the table during their turn if the cards meet the meld's requirements (adding to a set or extending a run).
Going Out: To end the round and score points, you must discard your last card after playing a meld or adding to an existing meld on the table.
Scoring:
Melds: At the end of the round, score the points of all the melds you have laid down on the table.
Going Out Bonus: The player (or team) who goes out receives a bonus of 50 points.
Negative Points: Unmelded cards remaining in your hand at the end of the round count against you, with each card's value subtracted from your score.
Winning the Game
The first player (or team) to reach a cumulative score of 500 points after multiple rounds wins the game!
Notes/Variations
Calling Rummy: Anyone can call "Rummy" even if it's not their turn, but only before the next player draws a card. Calling Rummy forces the turn to end, and the player who called Rummy can discard if they are able to legally meld and discard their last card.
Playing with Partners: For team play, partners sit opposite each other. Teammates can help each other by adding cards to each other's melds and strategically discarding cards that might benefit their partner.
Rummy 500 is a fast-paced and dynamic game. Strategize your melds, watch out for discard opportunities, and aim to go out before your opponents to reach 500 points!
