Objective
Build your hand into sets (three or four cards of the same rank) and runs (three or more cards of the same suit in sequence). Unlike regular Rummy, you never lay melds down a few at a time. Everything stays in your hand until you can go out all at once, a move often called going rum.
The first player to do it wins the hand and scores the unmatched cards left in every other hand. Since nobody melds early, you learn very little about what others hold. The best clues come from what they pick up.
Setup
Choose a dealer; the deal passes to the left after each hand. Deal the cards one at a time. The number each player gets depends on how many are playing.
Stack the rest face down as the stock, and turn the top card face up beside it to start the discard pile.
| Players | Cards each |
|---|---|
| 2 | 10 |
| 3 or 4 | 7 |
| 5 or 6 | 6 |
How to play
On your turn, draw in one of two ways. Take the top card of the stock, or take the top card of the discard pile. If you take from the discard pile, you must also take a second card: either the next card in the discard pile or the top card of the stock.
Then discard one card face up. When you drew two cards and discarded one, your hand grows by a card. That gives you more to work with, but every extra card also has to fit into a meld before you can go out.
You may not put any melds on the table during the hand. When every card in your hand fits into sets and runs, lay the whole hand down in one turn to go out. You may also go out by melding all but one card and discarding the last one.
- 1Draw the top stock card, or the top discard plus one more card
- 2Discard one card
- 3Keep every meld hidden in your hand
- 4Go out by laying down your whole hand in one turn
Scoring
When a player goes out, every other player lays their hand face up and arranges whatever sets and runs they can. Only the cards left over count. Each loser pays the winner the value of those unmatched cards.
| Unmatched card | Points |
|---|---|
| Ace | 11 |
| King, Queen, Jack | 10 each |
| 2 through 10 | Face value |
Keep a running total for each player and play to a target your table agrees on before the first deal, or settle each hand with chips.
Variations
Point per card: some tables skip the card values and charge one point for each unmatched card. It is faster to score and keeps the totals closer.
No wraparound: if your group is used to standard Rummy, drop the around-the-corner run and let aces be only high or low.
Relatives on our list: 500 Rum lets you meld as you go and reach deep into a spread discard pile, while Queen City Rum also asks you to meld your whole hand at once.
Tips from the table
Take from the discard pile when both cards help you, not just one. Every card you pick up is another card you have to meld before you can go out.
Do not throw an ace away just because it looks awkward. With around-the-corner runs, an ace fits next to a king or a 2, so it is often easier to place than a middle card.
Watch what your opponents take. With no melds on the table, their pickups from the discard pile are your only clue to what they are building, so avoid discarding cards that feed them.
If someone looks close to going out, dump your aces and face cards first. They cost the most if you get caught holding them.
Video Guides Are on the Way
We’re filming Game Guides that walk through full hands at the table, from the deal to the score.
Frequently asked
How is Boat House Rum different from regular Rummy?
Three ways: you cannot meld until you can lay down your whole hand at once, taking a discard means drawing a second card, and runs can wrap around the corner like K-A-2.
If I take the top discard, can my second card come from the discard pile too?
Yes. You choose between the next card in the discard pile and the top card of the stock.
Can I lay off cards on other players’ melds?
No. Nobody puts melds down during the hand, so there is nothing to lay off on. The only meld is the whole hand that goes out.
Do losers count every card left in their hand?
No. They arrange their own sets and runs first and pay only for the cards that do not fit.
New rules every month
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