500 Rummy
A rummy variant where melded cards score positive points and deadwood scores against you.
Setup
Deal 7 cards each (or 13 for two players). Start a discard pile.
How to Play
- Draw from stock or take from the discard pile.
- Lay down sets and runs.
- Add cards to existing melds.
- Discard to end your turn.
How to Win
First to 500 points wins.
Taking a large discard pile is powerful only if you can meld most of it.
Is 500 Rummy Right for You?
500 Rummy is the social, scoreboard-driven rummy for two to eight players who like the big swing of scooping the discard pile to grab a buried card. Reach for it for a longer family game night where everyone melds onto a shared table and races to 500 points.
Maybe skip it if: Anyone who dislikes bookkeeping; tracking individual card values and laid-off cards across a long game takes attention.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Forgetting that to take a deep card from the discard pile you must take every card above it and immediately meld the card you reached for.
- Not realizing that cards laid off on opponents' melds still count as positive points for whoever played them at the end.
Strategy Tips
- Only dredge the discard pile when the buried card lets you meld more than the deadwood you are forced to take.
- Lay off aggressively onto your own and opponents' melds late, since points scored beat points held when someone goes out.
Popular Variations
Persian Rummy / Joker play
Jokers are added as wild cards worth a heavy penalty if caught in hand, raising the stakes of every pickup.
Aces high or low scoring
Some tables score aces at 15 points and allow them only at the top of runs, sharpening their value.
Our Take
We really enjoy 500 Rummy as the party-sized cousin of Gin, and the discard-pile dredging adds a gambling thrill the tighter variants lack. The scoring is a touch fiddly, but the social energy more than pays for it.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is 500 Rummy scored?
Cards score their face value, face cards count ten, and aces count fifteen at the top of a run or one when low; you tally melded cards as plus and unmelded cards in hand as minus, racing to 500.
Can you take more than one card from the discard pile?
Yes. You may take any card in the discard pile as long as you also take every card on top of it and immediately use the chosen card in a meld.