Last Updated on October 11, 2025 by The Official Game Rules Team

Shanghai Rummy is a variation of Contract Rummy, in the family of Rummy card games. Known for its complex and progressive melding requirements—which players must meet to “go out” in each hand—Shanghai Rummy challenges players to manage their hand carefully. The goal is to successfully complete each contract over seven rounds while minimizing the value of cards left in your hand to achieve the lowest final score.

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How to Play Contract Rummy

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Objective of the Game

Your goal is to have the least points at the end of 11 rounds. Each card is worth its face value. Face cards are 10 points. Aces are 20 points.

Players, Cards, and Setup

Number of Players: 3 to 5
Decks Used: Two standard 52-card decks plus four Jokers (108 cards total)

Each player is dealt 11 cards at the start of every round. The rest of the deck is placed face down to form the draw pile, with the top card flipped over to begin the discard pile.

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Contracts

Shanghai Rummy is played over seven rounds, each with a specific contract that must be completed before a player can “go out.”

Round	Contract Requirement
1	Two books
2	One book and one run
3	Two runs
4	Three books
5	Two books and one run
6	One book and two runs
7	Three runs (no discard allowed when going out)

Definitions:

• A book (or set) is three or more cards of the same rank (e.g., 8♦ 8♠ 8♣).
• A run (or sequence) is four or more consecutive cards of the same suit (e.g., 5♣ 6♣ 7♣ 8♣).
• Aces are high only – A-2-3-4 is not valid.

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Melding Rules

When placing melds on the table, the following special rules apply:

• A player cannot lay down two books of the same rank (six eights still count as one book).
• Aces are always high (K-A only, not A-2).
• No consecutive runs in the same suit can be placed during your initial meld (for example, 6-7-8-9♠ and 10-J-Q-K♠ cannot both be placed by one player in the same turn). They can, however, become consecutive later when extended by adding extra cards.
• A Joker may substitute for any missing card in a book or run. However, no meld may contain more than one Joker.
• You can add cards to your own or other players’ melds after your initial contract is completed—either during the same turn or later turns.

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Gameplay

Players take turns in clockwise order. On your turn:

1. Draw one card – either from the draw pile or the top of the discard pile.
2. Meld if you can complete your current contract.
3. Add to existing melds (your own or others’).
4. Discard one card to end your turn.

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The “May I?” Rule

The “May I?” allows players to take a discard out of turn — but with restrictions:

• Each player may use two “May I?” actions per round.
• When a player “May I?” takes a discard, they must also draw two extra cards from the draw pile.
• Players cannot “May I?” a card if the player whose turn it is wants it.
• If more than one person wants to “May I?” the same card, the player who would play next in turn order gets priority.
• When a “May I?” occurs, the normal turn resumes with the original player.

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The “Shanghai” Rule

The Shanghai rule adds unique interaction and strategy. It occurs when a card is discarded that could extend an existing meld on the table.

Two Scenarios:

1. Calling “Shanghai” on Your Own Discard
   • If you discard a card that could be added to a meld already on the table, you can call “Shanghai!” as you discard it.
   • This prevents anyone else from picking up that card (including through a “May I?”).
2. Calling “Shanghai” on Another Player’s Discard
   • If someone discards a card that can be added to a meld without calling Shanghai, any player (even those who haven’t melded yet) can shout “Shanghai!” and immediately add it to a valid meld.
   • The player who called Shanghai must then offer their hand face down to the discarding player, who randomly draws one card from it and adds it to their hand.
   • Play then continues to the next player.

Note:
A Shanghai call always takes precedence over a “May I?” attempt.

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End of the Round

When a player goes out by discarding their final card (or finishing their contract in round seven with no discard), the round ends immediately. All players then total the penalty points for the cards remaining in their hands.

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Scoring

Card Rank	Point Value
2 – 7	5 points each
8 – K	10 points each
Ace	20 points each
Joker	50 points each

The player with the lowest total score after all seven rounds wins the game.

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Strategy Tips for Shanghai Rummy

• Save your Jokers for late-game flexibility—they’re too valuable to waste early.
• Keep track of which runs and books other players are building; avoid discarding cards that could complete their melds.
• Time your “May I?” wisely—it’s best used for key cards or to prevent another player from finishing.
• Use the Shanghai defensively when you discard a helpful card or offensively to extend melds on the table.
• Remember: in the final round, you cannot discard to go out, so plan your last few plays carefully.

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FAQ – Shanghai Rummy

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Conclusion

Shanghai Rummy is all about rising to the occasion as the game throws increasingly tough contracts at you round after round. It’s essentially the same great game as Contract Rummy or Progressive Rummy, so the secret to winning is always the same: nail those required melds and make sure you’re left with the lowest card count in your hand when someone goes out.