In Three-Thirteen Rummy players draw and discard to form 3+ card Melds in their hand. A Meld consists of a Set of 3 or more cards of the same number, or a Run in numerical sequence of 3 or more cards in the same suit.
Players: You play against three computerized Opponents - Left, Top, and Right.
Card Deck: Three-Thirteen Rummy uses two combined decks of standard playing cards, a total of 104 cards. For a faster pace of play, two or four wildcard Jokers can optionally be added to the deck.
Playing the Game:
1. Round 1 begins by dealing three cards face-down to each player. The next card in the deck is then placed face-up in the center of the table, starting a discard stack. Remaining cards in the deck are stacked face-down, next to the discard stack.
2. Player to the left of the dealer is first to play. Player either takes the top card from the discard stack, or draws the top card from the deck. After analyzing if the additional card improves players hand by making a new Meld, or increases the probability of making a new Meld in future turns, player discards one card face-up on top of the discard stack. Play continues clockwise around the table.
3. Wildcards - in each Round, the card number equal to the number of cards in a players hand is "wild" (for example, Threes are "wild" in Round 1). In Rounds 9-11 Jacks, Queens, and Kings, respectively, are "wild". If optional Jokers have been added to the deck they are "wild" in every Round. A wildcard can be used to represent any card in the deck. Thus they are very powerful cards for completing Melds. Multiple wildcards can be used in one Meld, and a Meld of wildcards only is also allowed.
4. A Round ends when a player, after discarding, has every card in their hand in a Meld of three or more cards. The player announces he/she is "out", and turns his/her cards face-up on the table. Remaining players now get one final turn to improve their hand before point totals are tallied. (Note: even if a player is "out" at the start of their turn, they must still take a card from either the deck or discard stack and then make a discard.)
5. After players have taken their final turns, points are tallied for all cards not in a meld. Cards numbered 2-10 count according to their number. Jacks, Queens, and Kings count 10 points. When Aces are played as low they count 1 point, but when optionally played as high count 15 points. (The option to play Aces as both low and high is currently not available in Three-Thirteen Rummy). Wildcards that cannot be used in a Meld count 15 points, and Jokers not in a Meld count 20 points.
6. The deal passes to the player to left, and play continues to the next Round. Players are dealt one more card than the previous Round. The new Round, and each successive Round, is played according to steps 2-5 above.
Winning the Game: Upon completion of Round 11 the player with the lowest number of points wins the game. If two or more players are tied for the lowest point total, the rule of two-tied, all-tied is followed, and no player is awarded a win for the game.