How to Play Knock Rummy
Knock Rummy is a matching card game based on the card game of rummy. It is similar to rummy in the scoring system but unlike most variants of the game, there is no laying off of cards onto other players' melds, which makes this version slightly more spontaneous. Players create melds of either sets or runs, and the objective is to get the lowest deadwood count -- deadwood being unmatched cards and the deadwood count being the total score of all deadwoods in a hand -- and to reach the game winning score.
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Instructions
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1
Determine the winning score. This must be done before the first hand so that the players know when to stop the game.
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2
Deal the cards. Decide who is going to deal in whatever way you wish, and then have the dealer shuffle the deck. The number of cards given to each player depends on the number of players in the game. If there are two players, each player gets 10 cards, three to four players; each gets seven cards; five players, each gets six cards. After the last player is dealt his hand, the next card is the upcard; i.e., for 2 players, it is the 21st card dealt; for 3 players, the 22nd card dealt; 4 players, the 29th card dealt, etc., so it is placed in the center face up and this is the discard pile, while the remainder of the deck is left face down and is the stock pile. The dealer changes each round.
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3
Draw a card from the discard or stock pile. During the first turn of play, the first player to draw has the option to draw the first card from the discard pile. Should the player decline, the dealer has the option -- but if the dealer also does not take it, then the first player takes from the stock pile. Once the player has chosen, he must discard a card from his own hand. This card is placed in the discard pile, and all cards placed in the discard pile must be placed face up. Once the player has discarded his card, the next player draws from either the discard or stock pile and then discards one of her own cards. Each player that follows does the same. If a card is chosen from the discard pile, the card that is discarded from the player's hand cannot be the same one picked up. For example, if the four of clubs is taken from the discard pile, the player who drew that card cannot return the four of clubs into the pile but must discard another from her hand.
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Knock to stop play. A player can only knock after he has drawn a card from the discard pile and before he has discarded, at which point the other players must show their cards, with the melds separated from the deadwood cards.
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Calculate the deadwood count for each player and award the points. This continues each round until someone reaches the game winning score.
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Tips & Warnings
There are a number of scoring variations and house rules that can be applied to your games in order to spice them up. Don't be afraid to experiment with bonus points for fulfilling various criteria.
