Carousel Rummy is a rummy style game for two to five players. Play your cards into melds of groups and sequences to win this game!
Find the video tutorial and written explanation for how to play carousel rummy below.
Carousel Rummy Tutorial
Needed
53 card deck (one joker)*, two to five players; pen and paper for scorekeeping
*Additional 53 card deck for three to five players
Deal
Each player is dealt ten cards, one card at a time. The remaining deck is placed face down and is used as a draw pile.
Objective
The object of the game is to play as many cards as possible into melds in the middle. A meld can be three or four cards of the same rank, in different suits, known as a group. A meld can also be a run of three or more consecutive numbers in the same suit, known as a sequence.
Game Play
The non-dealing player is first to play. A turn starts by the player drawing a card from the deck. After drawing a card, the player can choose to play melds. A player is allowed to play as many melds as wanted, or possible. A player will indicate when done making melds. Players can add cards to any melds in the middle.
If a player is unable to meld a card(s) after drawing his/her first card, a second card is drawn. If possible, the player can now meld a card(s). If a player is unable to meld after drawing the second card, a third card is drawn. The player’s turn is over, even if the third card drawn creates a meld.
Once a player has cards in hand that have a value of five or under, that player can knock to end the round. The round also ends if a player melds all the cards from his/her hand.
Scoring
All players add up the value of cards remaining in their hands. The lowest hand value scores the difference between each other hand value.
Card Value
Joker: 25 points
Face Card: 10 points
2-10: Face Value
Ace: 1 point
The game is played until a player reaches 150 points. Once that happens, the player that reached 150 points first is awarded a 100 point game bonus. Players that won a round during the game are awarded a 25 point bonus for each round won.
Rules
The joker is wild and can be used as any card to create a meld.
A player can replace a melded joker with the card it represents. Then, use the joker in another meld.
If a player is able to meld all the cards from their hand to win the round, the player is awarded an additional 25 point bonus.
If a player knocks, but an opposing player has a lower value of cards remaining in hand, it is known as an undercut. The player with the lower value wins the difference in hand values, plus a 10 points bonus for the undercut.
The Aces can be used as low or high, but sequences cannot wrap around. A sequence of king, ace, 2 is not valid.