Game Rules: 7 Hand Rummy

Every time my family gets together for Thanksgiving or Christmas, we all look forward to AFTER the meal. It is at this time we play 7 Hand Rummy, a card game that has been a part of these holidays for us since before I was born. This game has made these family events meaningful. Everyone gets to munch, talk, and have a good time together.

Here Is How You Play:

Seven Hand Rummy is best played with 4 decks of cards (with Jokers) for up to 8 players. If you have more players, add a deck. For 10 or more players, add another deck and so on.

The object of the game is to get rid of all your cards and accumulate as few points as possible. Points are acquired for any cards held in the hand when someone goes out. 5 points for card 2 through 7, 10 points for card 8 through the King, 15 points for an Ace (which can be played as a one or a top card above a king) and 20 points for jokers.

Deal out 11 cards to each player. Put a stack to draw from in the center and when everyone is ready, turn one card over to start the discard pile.

The player to the left of the dealer goes first and can either take the discard or take the card off the top of the stack. If someone else wants the card on the discard they can say , "I want it". If the person who's turn it is does NOT want the discard, they say so and the first person that said , "I want it" gets to take the card AND a penalty card from the stack. It is not acceptable for someone to say, "I want it" for a card already under a discard. Play continues around to the left as each person tries to acquire the appropriate hand.

Hands To Be Acquired:

1st Hand: 2 sets (333, 555, JJJ, etc.)

2nd Hand: 1 set and 1 run (333, 555, JJJ AND 4 5 6 of Hearts, 9 10 Jack of Spades, etc.)

3rd Hand: 2 runs (note: it is acceptable for someone to take a run and split it to make two runs i.e. 3 4 5 of Hearts and 6 7 8 of Hearts)

4th Hand: 2 sets and 1 run

5th Hand: 2 runs and 1 set

6th Hand: 3 sets pat (3 sets with NO discard)

7th Hand: 3 runs pat (3 runs with no discard)

Optional 8th Hand: One run pat - an accumulation of 1 suit from Ace to Jack or 4 to Ace (note - with this hand you can only say "I want it" ONE time, because you can not have a discard. You can not have an Ace on each end of your run.)

As the needed hand is acquired, the goal for the hand is placed down in front of the player on their turn. After they have laid their cards down, they may play any cards in their hand on other players cards. So if a player across the table had put down a set of 5's and a run of clubs 5 6 Joker 8 and I had a 5 or a club that would fit their run, I would toss them across the table. If I gave the player the 7 of clubs to replace the Joker I may put that Joker anywhere else on the table. I CAN NOT put the Joker in my hand.

At any time a player discards a card that would play on the table they call out RUMMY! After pointing out where the card would have played they get to discard any card from there hand. The "rummy" card remains on the discard pile.

If the discard pile gets too big, you can take a couple cards off the top and set the lower part of the discard pile aside (just don't forget they were already in play and put them back out as part of the stack).

If at any time the stack gets low, you may take the remaining stack and place it on some of the cards that were shuffled and put on the side to replenish the stack. Note the original stack goes on top of the new stack. If the stack gets depleted and there are no cards left over from shuffling, take the discards that were put on the side and shuffle them to restore the stack.

A discard is not required for someone to go out, their last card can be played on another player.

Notes For Helping First Time Players:

• When playing a hand requiring sets put the cards in your hand in numbered order: for example 3, 5, 5, 5, 8, 10, J, J, Q, K, A (of course the Ace can be at the beginning or the end). Remember suit doesn't matter.

• When playing a hand requiring runs, order the cards from lowest to highest in their appropriate suit. It will be easier to read your hand if you keep hearts and diamonds separated by clubs or spades and vice versa. It is easy to mistake a cards suit when paying attention to the game and trying to make runs.

• When people start putting down their hands, if you have a card that would play on them either put it safely to the side in your hand or put the card face down on the table in front of you so you don't play it by accident and make a rummy.
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• Once you have played your cards down and played what you have to put on other players, discard your high point cards first. That would be Aces, then 8s and higher, leaving you with 5 point cards if someone goes out.

• Just because someone hasn't put down doesn't mean they can't go out. Many a game some one has needed one card to complete a run or a set and once they have that card (either draw it or have it discarded to them), they put down their cards and all the remaining cards in their hand plays on other players.

• Most importantly, HAVE FUN! It is a special time when everyone in a family can sit down and do something besides eat.

By Suntydt from Tazewell, TN