So, how do you play the coolest version (in my opinion) of all Rummy games?

Kalooki is a Rummy variant that involves the use of the strongest cards in the deck – the Jokers. The jokers “sabotage” the game, in which by using them the player can combine the strongest card in many options of melds he desires. In this version, the player must conduct a hand with the amount of at least 51 or more in order to meld anything on the table.

The winner is the one that melds all their cards arranged in different sets or runs at one time – which is called a “Hunt” – or the first to meld or their cards gradually, while other players can also get rid of some cards during the round.

Rules of the game: each player receives 13 cards out of 2 decks.

Pay attention – you can use the joker at every meld of sets or runs in order to replace a missing card. When cards are meld on the table and the joker is in use, the joker’s point value is equal to the card’s value it replaces.

The Joker counts for 25 penalty points for a player holding it while one of the opponents wins the round or game.

The cards left after dealing 13 cards to each player (2-4), is the deck facing the table, which means cards are hidden (The stock pile). A single card next to the stock pile is faced up, which is knocked each turn by a different player, piled up on one another and called “Discarding pile”.

A standard round in this game includes 3 parts:

1. Drawing one card, whether from the “Stock pile” or from the “Discarding pile”.

2. Building melds of sets or runs and/or adding cards to existing melds on the table if possible.

3. Ridding one card to face up at the top of the discarding pile.

You take a card in the beginning of every turn and then lose one at the end of it. Another option is melding sets that sum up to 51 points or more, adding cards to other melds on the table or saving those cards to add them in other opportunities during the game. In cases in which the stock pile runs out, the discarding pile is shuffled again and a new stock pile is compiled when again it is faced down and hidden. This way the game is continued with the player that their turn has been stopped at.

Building Rules:

Only after melding your cards on the table (summed up to 51 points or more), you are eligible to begin adding your other cards to melds of yours or other players, melds who have melded their cards on the table, in a process called “Building”.