Card games have always been a very close friend to get rid of boredom no matter where you are. Over the years, varied companies introduced to us different card games in the market. Some card games have become global sensations, whereas some got lost in the crowd. But no matter where you are from, some basic card games are famous among all generations and still hold the fort against many new competitors. Rummy is one such card game. It has been in the run for quite some time, yet its popularity has only soared. Many variations of this game have come out over the years, but the basics in the case of each of these variations remain the same. In this article, we will discuss the two most widely played variations of rummy and how they differ.
How to play Indian Rummy?
Indian rummy is not that different from the original rummy game. Sometimes, people say Indian rummy combines a bit of rummy 500 and gin rummy. In this version, each player has 13 cards with them. If the number of players is two, then only one deck of cards is used, but if the number increases and becomes six, then two decks of cards are combined and then played. The main motto of the game is that the player will have to make a set.
A player can make two types of sets. Either it will be a run that is the consecutive lining of cards or three or four cards of a kind without any duplicate suit. The players will either discard a card and pick another card from the pile or keep the cards in their hands. At the end of the time, the player should have 13 cards in their hands, and they will make sets with the help of these 13 cards only. To win a hand, the player needs to make at least two sequences, of which at least one should be ‘pure’ or a sequence without any joker cards involved.
What is Gin Rummy?
Just like Indian Rummy, gin rummy is also a variation of the rummy game. Even though people say Indian rummy has its roots in Gin Rummy, some fundamental differences have been mentioned further in the article.
What are some primary differences between Indian Rummy and Gin Rummy?
As mentioned before, even though there is no massive difference between Indian rummy and gin rummy, variations are there. The points of difference when it comes to these two variations of rummy are:
The number of players who can play in these two games differs. In the case of Indian Rummy, two to six players can play this game, but when it comes to gin rummy, the number changes, and only two to four people can play this game.
The journey to winning this game is also different in these two games. In the case of Indian Rummy, a player will immediately win the game if they successfully meld all his 13 cards into sequences, but in the case of gin rummy, the players are more determined to score a set number of points. They try to earn points by melding 10 or 11 cards and not more than that. If someone sees that they are not reaching the given point, they knock and give up. There are many more variations of gin rummy in itself that you play in its way.
Jokers are the crucial cards in Indian Rummy, but the situation changes when gin rummy lacks any such card. Jokers are used to melding cards into sequences when only one card is missing from a type of formation.
The usage of aces is very different in both games. In the case of Indian Rummy, the aces are the lowest and the highest cards. For instance, we can make a sequence A, 2, 3, or we can also make a sequence Q, K, A, or we can also continue the previous sequence as Q, K, A, 2, 3. But in Gin Rummy, the ace is only seen as the lowest value number, so the sequence you can make with the help of the ace is only A, 2, 3.
What are some other rummy variations?
The rummy variations do not end with just Indian rummy and gin rummy. There are many more rummy variations that players can enjoy. If you want to know and learn about some more rummy variations, here are some other rummy variations:
Dummy rummy: This variety is easy enough to play. All the twos here represent the jokers, and two decks of cards are used while playing. Just like Indian Rummy, the player here must discard all the cards in the hands by melding them to win.
Pool rummy: Here, you get to play rummy by pooling money from all the players and giving it all to the winner.
Players worldwide enjoy rummy variations, like cards rummy, rummy sequence, and canasta, which are all very interesting to play.
Conclusion
We play games to enjoy and spend some leisurely time, especially when it comes to card games. Family gatherings are incomplete without card and board games, and we all know it. So, even though there are different variations of rummy, everyone enjoys the game in all its glory, no matter what variation. Some might prefer one version over others, but all the variations are enjoyable enough. So, let’s not fight over the variations and enjoy all of them.
