Quick Rules
Rummy 500 is the Rummy for people who like a gamble. Everyone scores every hand, the discard pile is open for digging, and a single good pickup can swing the game. It is played with one ordinary deck.
- The deal. Two players get 13 cards each; three or four players get 7. One card is turned face up to start the discard pile, and the rest is the stock.
- Draw. Take the top card of the stock, or take any card from the discard pile together with every card above it.
- The catch. If you take more than one card, the deepest one you took must be melded or laid off that same turn.
- Meld and lay off. Lay down sets (three or four of a rank) and runs (three or more in a row in one suit), and add single cards to anyone's melds. Aces can be low (A-2-3) or high (Q-K-A).
- Discard. End your turn by throwing one card on the pile. You may also go out by melding your very last card.
- Scoring. When someone goes out or the stock runs out, everyone adds up the cards they put on the table and takes away the cards left in hand: Aces 15 (1 in A-2-3), 10s and court cards 10, everything else 5.
- Winning. The first player to 500 points wins.
How to Play on This Page
The discard pile is spread out across the table so you can read every card, oldest on the left and the top card on the right. On your turn, tap the stock to draw, or tap any card in the pile. If it is not the top card, the game shows you exactly what you would take, which card you must use, and what you could make with it, before you say yes.
Your hand stays sorted, with any melds you already hold grouped and labelled. A line above your cards keeps a running score for the hand, such as on the table: 85 · in your hand: −30, so you can see the trade-off at a glance. Tap one card and every meld it fits is outlined with Lay off here. To end your turn, tap a card and then Discard. Not sure what to do? Tap Hint, and tap Why? beside any computer move to see its thinking.
Tips for Winning
- Count before you dig. A deep pickup is worth it when the points you can meld right away clearly beat the points you will be stuck holding.
- Get your melds down. Unlike basic Rummy, a meld in your hand scores nothing and counts against you if someone goes out.
- Lay off on everyone. A card you add to the computer's meld scores for you, not for the computer.
- Watch the hand sizes. When a player is down to two or three cards, unload your high cards before you get caught with them.
- Aces cut both ways. An Ace is 15 on the table but 15 against you in hand, and only 1 at the bottom of A-2-3.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Rummy 500 free to play here?
Yes. Play as many games as you like for free, with no account, no download and no ads over the game.
How is Rummy 500 different from basic Rummy?
Two big differences. First, you may take any card from the discard pile, not just the top one, as long as you also take every card above it and use the deepest card in a meld that same turn. Second, everyone scores, not just the player who goes out: you add up the cards you melded and laid off and take away the cards still in your hand.
Does the computer cheat?
No. A computer player sees only its own cards, the melds on the table, the discard pile and how many cards everyone holds. It never sees your hand or the stock. On Hard it remembers which cards you took from the discard pile, just as a sharp player at the kitchen table would, because everyone saw you take them. After every hand you can open Show All Hands to see what everyone was dealt, every game has a deal number you can replay, and Why? beside any computer move gives its reason.
What does it mean that I must use the deepest card?
If you take more than one card from the discard pile, the bottom card of the ones you took has to go onto the table that same turn, either in a new meld or laid off on a meld already there. The game only lets you take a stack when that is possible, and it will not let you discard until you have done it.
What are the cards worth?
Aces are worth 15 points, except that an Ace used at the bottom of an A-2-3 run is worth 1. Tens, Jacks, Queens and Kings are worth 10. Every card from 2 to 9 is worth 5. The same values count for you on the table and against you in your hand.
Who scores the card I lay off on someone else's meld?
You do. Every card scores for the player who put it on the table, whoever started the meld. The game keeps track and labels the cards each player added to someone else's meld.
Can my score go below zero?
Yes. If you are caught with more points in your hand than you have on the table, the difference comes off your total. It is part of the game, and it is why a big pickup is a gamble.
Can I play against more than one computer player?
Yes. Open Settings and choose one, two or three computer players. With two players everyone gets 13 cards; with three or four, 7 each. You can also choose Easy, Normal or Hard and change the house rules. Changes start with your next game.
Does the game save my progress?
Yes. Your game is saved in your browser after every move, so you can close the page and continue later on the same device.
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