21 Cards Rummy Game

Here is a guide that will help you play 21-card rummy online.

• In 21-card rummy, 3 decks and 1 printed joker per deck are used.
• Each player is dealt 21 cards.
• A cut joker is randomly selected and placed face up, and the remaining pile of cards is kept face down on the table.
• The cards with a rank above and below the joker are classified as upper and lower jokers, respectively.
• On their turn, each player draws and discards a card.
• They can draw cards from either pile (open or closed deck), and discard a card to the open pile.
• The game progresses in a similar manner until any of the players declares their hand. This means that all their cards are sorted into valid groups.
• The player who makes a valid declaration first according to the 21-card rummy rules is declared the winner of the game.
• In the event of an incorrect declaration, the declarer will be penalized with a maximum penalty.
• The other players who are playing the game keep arranging or sorting their cards. Their cards are validated and the points of all other players are calculated as per the 21 cards rummy points system.

In this version of rummy 21 cards must be arranged in valid sequences and sets. But there are some very important rummy rules for making a declaration. To make a valid declaration, you must have one or a combination of the following:

• According to 21 cards rummy rules, you should have three pure sequences (three or more consecutive cards of the same suit without a joker) and the remaining cards arranged in any combination of sequences and/or sets.
• Eight jokers in one group.
• Eight dublees (a dublee is a pair of two cards of the same rank and suit or two jokers) in eight different groups.
• Three tanalas (a tanala is three cards of the same rank and suit) in three different groups.
• Two marriage groups in hand (marriage is a combination of the lower joker (taplu), cut-joker (sterling), and upper joker (paplu) of the same suit.) These must be presented as a group to be valid.

In 21 card rummy, the point system and the value card scoring might seem complex initially, but with a proper understanding, it can help clear doubts.

Value cards, often termed 'Value Joker' or 'Cut Joker', play a significant role in this variant. These are the cards equal to the card value that is randomly selected at the beginning of the game.

Calculating the Value Card Score:

• Upper Joker & Lower Joker: If the selected joker is 5♥, then 4♥ is the lower joker, and 6♥ is the upper joker. Both of these cards are considered as value cards.
• Point Value: Each value card carries 10 points each. If a player possesses any of these cards and declares his hand, these cards' points are deducted from his score.
• Doubled Value: If a player has three value cards of the same kind, the points for those value cards are doubled. For example, if a player has three 4♥ cards, then instead of 30 points (3 cards x 10 points), he gets 60 points.

Point Calculation for 21 Card Rummy or Marriage

Below is how your winnings are calculated in 21 card rummmy:

1 Upper + 1 Same Suit + 1 Lower = 100 points
2 Upper + 2 Same Suit + 3 Lower = 300 points
3 Upper + 3 Same Suit + 3 Lower = 500 points

In 21-cards rummy, the winner gets the total of the points lost by all the losing players. The losing players get negative points as per card game 21 rules.

• All face cards (K, Q, J) and the ace (A) are worth 10 points each.
• All number cards from 2 to 10 are worth their face value.
• For the losing player in 21-card rummy, the negative score is calculated based on the points of the ungrouped cards.
• 120 is the minimum criteria, any points less than 120 will be taken as points lost.
• The cut joker, upper joker, and the lower joker, each are worth 10 points when the player has a single card, 30 points when a player has 2 cards, and 50 points when a player has 3 cards.
• 1 Indian marriage is worth 100 points, 2 are worth 300 points, and 3 are worth 500 points.

The game of 21 Card Rummy, an extended version of the classic Indian Rummy, and knowing these terms can help in understanding the game and also enhance gameplay strategy. Here are some common terms associated with 21 Card Rummy:

• Deck: A standard set of 52 playing cards. In 21 Card Rummy, usually, three decks are used.
• Face Cards: The King, Queen, and Jack of any suit.
• Number Cards: Cards from 2 to 10 of any suit.
• Ace: The card which can be used as the highest or lowest value card in forming sequences.
• Joker: There are two types:
  • Printed Joker: The joker card present in every standard deck.
  • Wild Joker/Cut Joker: At the start of the game, a random card is chosen to act as a joker for that particular game. All cards of that value, across all suits, become jokers.
  • Value Cards: Cards equal to the randomly selected joker value. If 7♦ is the cut joker, then all the 7s from every suit will act as Value Cards. These cards help in reducing the points.
  • Upper Joker & Lower Joker: If the chosen joker is 5♥, then 4♥ and 6♥ are the lower and upper jokers respectively. They are special types of value cards.
• Meld: To arrange cards in required sequences and sets.
• Sequence: Arrangement of consecutive cards of the same suit. A sequence can be a pure sequence (without a joker) or an impure sequence (with a joker).
• Set: Group of three or more cards of the same rank but different suits.
• Tunnela: Three cards of the same rank and same suit. It's a unique set exclusive to 21 Card Rummy.
• Dublee: Two cards of the same rank and same suit.
• Drop: To opt out of a game. There are two types:
  • First Drop: Opting out at the beginning of the game.
  • Middle Drop: Opting out after the first move.
• Declare: To finish the game by showing the cards after arranging them in the required sequences and sets.
• Draw & Discard: The act of picking a card from the open or closed deck and discarding an unwanted card to the open deck.
• Valid Declaration: Arranging the cards in the correct sequences and sets as per the game rules and finishing the game.
• Wrong Declaration: A declaration where the cards are not arranged according to the game rules, leading to maximum penalty points.
• Life: A combination of a pure sequence and a second sequence (which can be pure or impure). Forming a 'Life' is mandatory for a valid declaration.

You can play the 21 card rummy game on your phone. The free rummy app is available on the Play Store. You can play 21 card rummy online free on the Rummy.com app. Below are steps on how to download the rummy game on mobile.

Steps to Download the App onto Android Mobile
Here is how you can download the cash pool rummy app on your Android phone and start playing for cash:

Android Users
To play rummy on an Android mobile, follow these steps:

• Go to Google Play Store, type “Rummy.com” in the search bar, and search.
• Tap on the Rummy.com app and tap “Install.”
• Once the app is installed, tap “Open” to begin your rummy journey on Rummy.com.

Rummy.com offers a plethora of opportunities to all rummy players to participate in its tournaments and win whopping big cash prizes.

The objective of this rummy card game online is to arrange the 21 cards in valid sequences, or sequences and sets. To win the game you need to form 3 pure sequences, and the rest can be any valid sequence or sets. Without 3 pure sequences, you cannot make a valid rummy declaration. Here is how you can form sequences and sets in a 21-card rummy game.

21 Card Rummy Sequence

In this marriage cards game, a sequence is a group of three or more consecutive cards of the same suit. There are two types of sequences that you can form: a pure sequence and an impure sequence. To win the game of rummy, you need at least 3 pure sequences in your hand.

Pure Sequence

A pure sequence is a group of three or more cards of the same suit placed in consecutive order without using a printed or wild card joker as a replacement for any card. For example, 5♥-6♥-7♥ (It’s a pure sequence with three cards. No printed joker or wild joker is used.)

Impure Sequence

An impure sequence is a group of three or more rummy cards of the same suit where one card is replaced by a printed or wild joker. For example, 6♦-7♦-Q♠-9♦ (Here Q♠ has been used as a wild joker replacing 8♦ to form an impure sequence.)

21 Card Rummy Set

A set is a group of 3 or 4 cards of the same value but different suits. You can use printed and wild card jokers to form sets. For example, 8♦-8♣-8♠-8♥ (This rummy set is formed with four 8s of different suits.)

• To win the game, keep the rummy cards that you have arranged in valid sequences, or sequences and sets, together. The unmatched cards should be kept separate. This will help you clearly identify which cards you need to discard or focus on to create new sequences or sets.
• Unless you can arrange the high-value cards (Ace, Jack, Queen, and King) in sequences or sets, discard them early on. They will bring you unnecessary points if you are not able to use them in the first few turns.
• If your opponents are drawing cards from the open deck, then try to guess their game plan. It will help you gain insights into the game and learn which cards they need to form sequences or sets. And if you possess those cards, hold on to them to stop them from winning.
• In the 21 card game online, hold on to the useful cards. For example, a 5 from any suit can be used to form sequences with 6 and 7 or 4 and 6 or 3 and 4.
• Play a few practice games with free chips given to you. You won’t lose any money and you will get to improve your rummy skills and knowledge.

In the game of 21 Cards Rummy, similar to other rummy variants, the drop option is a strategic move that allows players to quit the game under certain circumstances, without incurring maximum penalty points. The drop option can be an invaluable strategy for players who believe their card hand is not advantageous.

Types of Drop:

There are generally two types of drops in 21 Cards Rummy:

• First Drop: This refers to dropping the game before making any moves or picking any cards. It's a decision made right at the onset when a player feels that the initial hand dealt to them is unfavorable. Players who opt for a first drop are penalized with 30 points.


• Middle Drop: This occurs when a player decides to drop the game after making one or more moves. A player might pick a few cards, try to form sequences or sets, and then realize the game isn't progressing in their favor. At this juncture, they can opt for a middle drop and players who decide to drop in the middle of the game are given a penalty of 60 points.