Rummy for a lot of people isn’t just something you do for entertainment it is a game of skill that can help you improve focus and power to analyse. Earlier the game was played offline but now there are many rummy apps where one can play the game online. Today, one of the best rummy app to play the game is PlayRummy and in order to win the game there, the key is to understand how it’s played.
One of the most important aspects here is how to count the points in a hand?
The face value of the card denotes the points it carries. For example, a card with number 5 printed carries five points. The high-value cards in rummy are King, Queen, Jack and each carry 10 points. However, Ace can cost one or 10 points.
In rummy, the competition is to form sequences and sets to declare the game. Whoever is the first to do that wins it. The winner will have zero points in hand because he has created all valid sequences or sets.
Then whichever player has the maximum points in hand will be ranked the lowest. Thus, this makes sure that these high-value cards aren’t desirable.
Now the next step is to know how to reduce the points in rummy hand?
If a player loses the game with too many high-value cards, then he/she will lose with maximum points. A manner in which a player can reduce points in hand is to make pure sequences. If the player still loses, cards in pure sequences will not be counted for points.
In a real cash rummy game, it is very important to know when to discard your high-value cards. An indication to get this done is if your high-value cards are not helping in forming a sequence or set. Make sure to make a pure sequence early in the game because with a natural run, you cannot win. Even when you have made a natural run and are left with King, Queen or Jack, then you can discard these and replace them with lower-value cards, and try to use those to create a valid hand to declare.
There is often confusion about how long the high-value cards need to be retained. While you might not discard the King, Queen and Jack immediately when the game begins as these can be utilised to form pure sequences and sets. After a few turns if you still feel you are not able to use these to your advantage don’t hold on to them.
Another key with regards to the timing of discarding these cards is to not give the opponent the card he needs. If you feel that a high-value card that you have and want to discard can be needed by your opponents don’t discard them. But again, let them go as soon as you are sure that the player does not need this card anymore.
Bluffing your opponent during this process is also vital. Usually, players don’t pick cards from the open pile, until it is useful to make a sequence or a set. And if the card is a high-value one, people don’t pick them at all. Constantly not picking cards like K, Q and J however, can be used to bluff others. One can trick the opponent to throw a high-value card by discarding a related card, and then use it to form a set or a sequence.
For example, if you possess Ace, King, and Jack of Diamond. You can discard the Jack, which may prompt the rival to discard Queen of Diamond. Now, you can use the Queen to make the sequence with Ace, King, and Queen of Diamond.
While these tips are no guarantee that you will win rummy every time but they sure do tell you how to sensibly use the high-value cards.