The Conquian Rummy card game variant goes way back to Western ancestry in the 1880s and is played with a Spanish deck, ie 40 cards. The idea behind the game is to create melds like any rummy variation. The only major difference is with the draw and in operating the discards. Cards that are taken from the stock pile or taken from the discard pile are never added to the player’s hand. If a player chooses to take a discard, he must automatically use it in a meld which is placed in the table. On the other hand, if he chooses to retrieve a card from the stock pile, the same rule applies.

Deck: Spanish Deck (If you have normal 52 cards, you can simply remove all of the 8s, 9s and 10s)

Number of Players: 2

Card Points: King as the highest down to Q, J, 7, 8, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, and Ace being the lowest

Number of cards distributed: 10 cards

Game Objective: In conquian rummy the idea is to meld all 10 cards plus 1 and be the first to “go out.” Melds are created by series of combination (sets and runs) and are placed at the center of the table.

Valid Melds:

A set is composed of, for example, three cards of the same rank (e.g. 5 of hearts, 5 of diamonds and 5 of clubs). A sequence straight or a run is composed of 2 of hearts, 3 of hearts and 4 of hearts, for example. Now, an ace is always considered a low card. Maximum sequence should only be 8 cards. The reason behind is that, a player must have exactly 11 cards to go out.

In a conquian rummy card game, It is also allowed to re-arrange melds on the table. For example, if you have 3, 4, 5 and 6 of hearts and then you were able to take 6 of diamonds in your turn and you have the 6 of clubs in your hand, you can re-arrange your cards into 3, 4, & 5 of hearts, removing 6 of hearts from the sequence and creating a new one — which is a set of 6 of the same rank.

Distinct Difference to other variants:

While ace is considered as a low card (common to some rummy games), 7 should always be next to Jack. For a combination of A, 2, 3 is accepted and so is 6, 7, J. (as the 8, 9 and 10 are removed). However, Q, K and A in sequence is not allowed.

The Start and the Deal: The play is started by determining the dealer first by cutting the cards, the player with the lowest card deals first. Each player is dealt 10 cards each and the remaining cards becomes the stock pile. No up-card is drawn.

During a player’s turn in conquian rummy when taking a card from the face-up cards on the table, if the card you got can be part of a meld on the center table the oppponent can force you to add the card in the meld whether you like it or not – even if that card is your ticket to win. For example, your meld on the table is a set of 4 in the same rank (4 of hearts, 4 of clubs, 4 of spades, and 4 of diamonds) and another 6 of clubs, 7 of clubs, J of clubs, and Q of clubs sequence. In addition, you have 2 Aces in your hand. Your winning card is another Ace, however if your opponent discards the King of hearts you are forced to meld it if the opponent obliges you to. That way, you will be force to discard your Ace which will then make it impossible for you to win with your three aces.

End of the Conquian Rummy Card Game: A game ends either by a player going out or when the stock runs out and when it does, a draw is declared and play proceed to another game usually at a double stake.

If you have melded 10 cards and you discard your remaining card, it’s not a winning situation. In this case you continue to play until you get the 11th card which can be added to a meld. An eleventh card is a discard by the opponent or from the stock pile.