Summary

Rumino is a rummy variation that has an Italian origin; it is also a very extreme knock rummy game.

Deck of Cards: Two 52 decks of cards, plus 4 Jokers (106 cards)

Number of players: 2-6 players

Number of cards dealt: 7

Object of the game:The idea of rumino is to get the other players to score over 100 points while keeping your score low.

The Deal: At the start of the game, everyone draws 1 card and the player who gets the high-card deals, dealing as normal to the left. After giving each player 7 cards, the remaining card becomes the stock pile and is spread on the table. The face-up card is the start of the discard pile.

Like in any rummy game, the player to the left of the dealer then draws from the stock or discard to make up a three-card or a four-card “lays.”

The play continues to the left, where the next player has the option of drawing from the stock or from the discard and as is a compulsory routine in rummy, throws a card in the discard pile.

In rumino lays can either be three of a kind, or four of a kind, a 3-card straight flush, or a 4-card straight flush. Aces are considered low and Jokers are treated as wild.

Knocking: When you keep unmatched cards at hand, they are considered points and as soon as you reach 7 points or less, you can knock in your turn, one reason why it’s called a “knock” rummy game.

Players show all of their cards and counts the deadwood or extra points. Lays are counted as zero. Face cards count as 10, Aces at 1 and the rest of the cards are added up according to its face value.

Hitting Gin: Drawing a lay of 4 and a lay of 3 cards (using up all of your 7 cards with nothing unmatched), you can call yourself for “gin” or “ten less”. The hand is instantly at a halt, earning yourself a score of 10 points and the rest of the players gets whatever is the value of their cards. Three consecutive gins makes up the winner.

Hitting Rumino: (I consider this the best of any rummy game, simple and direct) If you draw yourself 7 straight card flush or 7 of a kind, you can declare “rumino” and the game ends. This automatically makes you the winner of the whole game. However, if you are holding 6 cards to “rumino” and another player along the game discards the card that you need to win, you may declare yourself the winner even if it is not your turn.

Re-Buying: If a player accumulates 100 points, they are immediately eliminated from the game, but can re-buy back in for the highest score if they wish as long as there are at least two players left in the game. On the other hand, no re-buys are allowed if “rumino” is hit. Every player’s attempt to re-buy doubles the stake for that player. Say for example, for a $20 game, first time is $20 and the second time is $40 and so on. (Exciting, isn’t it? I have encountered a couple of rummy game variations, this one really boosts enthusiasm!)

When a player is left with 100 points or less than that, or if somebody has hit rumino, they are considered the winner and gets all the money on the table. The winner then deals the 1^st hand in the second game.