Rummikub
Rummikub Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Contents
106 tiles (8 sets of tiles numbered 1–13 in four colors, plus 2 joker tiles), 4 racks + rack holders. (Rummikub XP/Mini XP for 5–6 players uses all 160 tiles—12 sets of 1–13 in four colors and 4 jokers—with 6 racks.)
Object of the Game
To be the first player to play all the tiles from your rack by forming them into sets (runs and/or groups).
Sets
There are two kinds of sets:
- Group: a set of three or four tiles of the same number in different colors.
- Run: a set of three or more consecutive numbers all in the same color. The number 1 is always the lowest number—it cannot follow the number 13.
Set-Up
Place the tiles face down and mix them thoroughly. Each player picks a tile; the player with the highest number goes first. Return and re-mix the tiles (stacking in piles of 7 is recommended). Each player takes 14 tiles onto their rack. The remaining tiles form the pool.
A round is made up of multiple games: the number of players determines the number of games in a round (four players = four games, three players = three games, two players = two games), though players may decide the number of rounds. A game ends when a player plays the last tile from their rack; players then start over until they've played the agreed number of games/rounds.
Playing the Game
Each tile is worth its face value. To make an initial meld, each player must place tiles on the table in one or more sets that total at least 30 points. These points must come from the tiles on that player's own rack—for the initial meld, players may not use tiles already on the table. A joker used in the initial meld scores the value of the tile it represents.
When a player cannot play any tiles from their rack (or chooses not to), they must draw a tile from the pool, which ends their turn. Play passes clockwise. After making their initial meld, a player may build onto other sets on the table with tiles from their rack. On any turn a player cannot add to a set or play a set from their rack, they draw from the pool and their turn ends. Players cannot play a tile they just drew—they must wait until their next turn.
Play continues until one player empties their rack and calls "Rummikub!", ending the game (then tally points). If the pool is empty but no player has emptied their rack, play continues until no more plays can be made, ending the game.
Manipulation
Manipulation—rearranging or adding to sets already on the table to table as many of your tiles as possible—is the most exciting part of the game. Sets can be manipulated in many ways, as long as at the end of the turn only legitimate sets remain and no loose tiles are left over. Examples:
- Add tiles from your rack to a set: e.g. add a blue 3 to a blue 4-5-6 run, or add an 8 to a group of 8s.
- Remove a fourth tile from a group and use it in a new set: e.g. take the blue 4 from a group of four 4s to complete a blue 3-4-5-6 run.
- Add a fourth tile to a set and remove one, to make another set: e.g. add a blue 11 to an 8-9-10 run, freeing the 8s to form a new group.
- Splitting a run: e.g. add a red 6 to split a 4-5-6-7-8 run into 4-5-6 and 6-7-8.
- Combined split: combine tiles taken from a run and a group with a tile from your rack to form a new group.
- Multiple split: manipulate several existing sets at once, using tiles from your rack to make new groups and runs.
The Joker
There are two jokers. Each joker can be used as any tile in a set, taking the number and color of the tile needed to complete the set. On future turns, a joker can be retrieved from a set on the table by replacing it (during your turn) with any tile(s)—from the table or your rack—that keep the set legitimate. For a group of three tiles, the joker can be replaced by a tile of either missing color.
When retrieved, the joker again has any value or color. However, a player who retrieves a joker must play it on the current turn to make a new set, and must also use at least one tile from their rack that turn (as on any other turn). A player cannot retrieve a joker before playing their initial meld.
Time Limit
There is a time limit of 1 minute per player, per turn. A player who goes over must draw a tile from the pool, ending their turn.
Incomplete runs: A player who cannot complete a move within the 1-minute limit must restore any moved tiles to their previous positions on the table, take back the tiles they played, and draw 3 tiles from the pool as a penalty. This ends the turn.
Winning and Scoring
When the last round ends, the player who has won the most games across all rounds combined is the winner. In a tie, the player with the highest score wins.
Scoring: After a player clears their rack and calls "Rummikub!", the other players add up the value of the tiles remaining on their racks as a negative figure, and the winner receives a positive score equal to the total of all the other players' points (the winner's score should equal the total of the others' scores). The penalty for having a joker on your rack is 30 points.
In the rare case that all pool tiles are used before anyone goes "Rummikub!" and no player can play, the player with the lowest value of tiles on their rack wins the round. Each player totals their tiles and subtracts it from the winner's total (a negative number each); the total of these negatives is scored to the winner as a positive amount.
After scoring a game, place all tiles back on the table and begin the next game following the Set-Up directions. Keep track of both points and the number of games each player has won.
Strategy
The beginning of a game may seem slow, but as the table builds up, more plays become possible. Early on, hold back some tiles so other players open up the table. It can be useful to hold back the fourth tile of a group or run, playing only three, so you can play a tile next turn instead of drawing. Keeping a joker on your rack is a good strategy—but you risk the 30-point penalty if another player goes "Rummikub!"