Rummy Glossary

The words players use at a rummy table, from meld and lay off to deadwood and going rummy. Each entry says what the term means in Basic Rummy, the game we play at /rummy, and notes where Gin Rummy, Rummy 500, and other rummy games use it differently.

Block Rummy

A way of playing in which the discard pile is never reused, so the hand ends when the stock runs out. Rule books differ on the score: in one version the lowest hand collects the differences, in another everyone loses the points they hold. Our game reshuffles the discard pile instead.

Book

Another name for a set: three or four cards of the same rank, such as three Queens.

Calling Rummy

A call borrowed from Rummy 500. When a player discards a card that could have been melded, another player may call "Rummy!" before the next draw and take the card. Most Basic Rummy rule books leave it out, and our game does not use it.

Contract

In Contract Rummy, Shanghai, and Liverpool, the pattern your first meld must match in each deal, such as two sets, or a set and a run. Basic Rummy has no contracts: you can meld any set or run at any time.

Deadwood

The cards left in a hand when someone goes out. In Basic Rummy every card left counts against you, even cards that would have made a meld, and the total goes to the winner. In Gin Rummy, deadwood means only the cards outside your melds.

Discard

The card you put face up on the discard pile to end your turn, or the act of putting it there. You cannot discard the card you took from the discard pile on the same turn.

Discard Pile

The face-up pile beside the stock. Only its top card can be taken, as your draw for the turn.

Draw

The first thing you do on every turn: take the top card of the stock or the top card of the discard pile.

Face Card

A Jack, Queen, or King. Each counts 10 points when it is left in a hand at the end.

Going Out

Getting rid of the last card in your hand, which ends the hand at once. You can go out by discarding your last card, or by melding and laying off every card. In our game the player who goes out wins the game.

Going Rummy

Going out in a single turn, putting down your whole hand without having melded or laid off earlier in the hand. Many home games pay double for it, and some give 10 bonus points instead. Our game scores it like any other win.

Group

Another name for a set. "A group of 8s" means three or four 8s.

Hand

The cards a player holds. Also a single deal, from the shuffle until someone goes out. In our game one hand is the whole game.

Knock

The move that ends a hand in Gin Rummy and Knock Rummy: you lay down your cards and the lowest unmatched total wins. In Gin you may knock once your unmatched cards total 10 points or less. Basic Rummy has no knocking.

Lay Off

To add one card from your hand to a meld already on the table, such as the fourth 9 to a set of 9s, or the 8 of hearts to the 5-6-7 of hearts. You can lay off on anyone's meld, and in our game you can do it before you have melded yourself.

Meld

A set or a run of at least three cards, laid face up on the table. In Basic Rummy you can put down as many melds as you like in one turn.

Outs

The unseen cards that would complete a meld for you. The 6 and 7 of hearts have two outs, the 5 and 8 of hearts; the Queen and King of hearts have one, the Jack, because the Ace plays low.

Run

Three or more cards in order in one suit, such as the 5, 6, and 7 of clubs. In our game the Ace is low only: A-2-3 is a run, Q-K-A is not. Many home games let the Ace play high as well.

Sequence

Another name for a run. In Indian Rummy a finished hand needs a pure sequence, one with no joker in it.

Set

Three or four cards of the same rank, such as the 7 of hearts, 7 of diamonds, and 7 of clubs. Also called a group or book.

Stock

The face-down pile of undealt cards. In our game, when it runs out, the discard pile except its top card is shuffled to make a new stock.

Unmatched Cards

Cards in your hand that are not part of a set or run. In Basic Rummy all cards left in a hand count at the end, matched or not.

Upcard

The card turned face up from the stock after the deal to start the discard pile.

Wild Card

A card that can stand in for any card in a meld. Our game has none, and most Basic Rummy rule books use none; some add jokers as wild cards, and Canasta and Contract Rummy use 2s or jokers.