500 Rummy

Rummy with an open pile: meld sets and runs, lay off on everyone's melds, and be first to 500. 2–4 players

How to play 500 Rummy

Score the most points over several rounds. The first to reach 500 wins.

Everyone gets 7 cards. One card is turned up to start the pile, which is spread out so every card can be seen.
Draw the top card of the stock, or take from the pile: the top card, or a deeper card together with every card above it. If you take deep, the deepest card you took must be melded this turn.
Meld sets (3–4 of a kind) or runs (3 or more in a row in one suit). An ace can be low (A-2-3) or high (Q-K-A), but not both (K-A-2). A joker can be any card. Once it is in a set or run, it stays there.
Lay off cards on any player's sets and runs. The cards score for whoever lays them off.
End your turn by discarding one card. You can also go out by melding your last card. The round ends when someone goes out, or when the stock is empty and the next player won't take from the pile.
Points: 2–9 score 5, tens and picture cards 10, aces 15 (5 in A-2-3) and jokers 25. Cards on the table count for you, cards in your hand against you.

The game ends after the round in which someone reaches 500. The highest score wins.

Watch the pile: a card deep down can bring you lots of cards at once, but any you can't meld count against you.
Don't discard cards the next player can lay off on the table.
Jokers and aces are worth a lot: get them down before the round ends.