Rummykub is a tile game developed by an Israeli game inventor Ephraim Hertzano in the early 1930s. Although it is played with tiles, this is a true rummy game, which features all the basics common to rummy.

This is a step by step level of instructions, in how to play rummykub so that it’s easier to understand. A variation of rummy, but the only difference is — rummykub uses set of tiles for the game instead of cards. I kinda enjoy the fact of including it here for curious players who might be interested enough to know how it works. All you need is a rummykub set.

Players: Two or more players

Instructions on how to play rummykub:

• Players must place all the tiles face down on the table and shuffle them. Each player takes 14 tiles and the players then places the tiles on their individual trays to avoid other players seeing them.

• The first player will play a set of tiles, if possible. When a player sets down tiles, at least three tiles are required to play. Tiles can be a group of numbers. For example, three sixes or four eights. Each tile must be of different color.

• A player can also set down a run, which is three or more consecutive numbers of the same color.

• It is also noted in how to play rummykub that, if a player cannot play anything (this is what you call “melds” in a rummy game), he takes a tile from the middle and passes the turn to the next player of the game.

• As a rule, once a player sets out tiles, it is the only time that they can play on other tiles in the center by either adding to other players’ runs or groups. It is also possible to completely rearrange some or all of the tiles on the table in order to take advantage of their tiles at hand.

• As long as the tiles left on the table are all in accordance with the rules, he is allowed to re-group the tiles. In other words, if a player moves tiles around but leaves some groups or runs incomplete, the play is considered invalid and the player must return the tiles to its original places. This is how to play rummykub. It is actually very simple and easy to learn.

• Finally, the game ends when all the face-down tiles have been used and a player is completely out of tiles on their tray. The first player to run out is the winner.