Rummy 500 rules for two players

Setup

• One 52-card pack, no jokers.
• You each get thirteen cards. One card goes face up to start the discard pile; the rest is the stock.
• The non-dealer plays first, and the dealer swaps every hand.

How a round works

1. Start your turn by drawing: the top card of the stock, or any card in the discard pile together with every card above it.
2. If you take more than the top discard, you must use the deepest card you took straight away, in a new meld or laid off on a meld on the table. If you take only the top discard, you can't throw it back that turn.
3. Meld sets (three or four of a rank) and runs (three or more in a row in one suit). An ace is low in a run with a 2, high otherwise; runs don't go round the corner.
4. Lay off cards on any meld on the table, yours or your opponent's. The points for a card go to whoever plays it.
5. End your turn with a discard. The hand ends when someone has no cards left, or when a discard leaves the stock empty.

Scoring and winning

• Card values: ace 15 (1 in a low run), king, queen and jack 10, other cards their number.
• Each hand you score the cards you put on the table minus the cards still in your hand. That can be negative.
• Play hand after hand. The first to 500 or more with the higher score wins; if you're level, play on.

Play it with your partner on Twine

Twine deals, keeps score and enforces every rule above. Play live on a call, or with Play Anytime: take your turn now and your partner takes theirs whenever suits them, wherever they are.

Questions

Can you take more than one card from the discard pile?

Yes. Take any card and every card above it, as long as you use the deepest one in a meld straight away.

Can you lay off on your opponent's melds?

Yes. You can add to any meld on the table, and the points for that card are yours.

How much is an ace worth in Rummy 500?

Fifteen, or one when it sits low in a run with a 2. An ace left in your hand always counts 15 against you.

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