Rummy 500
Lay down sets and runs, dig the discard pile, and race to 500.
2-6 players30-60 min
Overview
The Danish card-night classic "500". Draw a card — from the stock, or from anywhere in the discard pile if you can use it — then lay down sets and runs, add cards to anyone's melds, and discard. Every card you put on the table scores for you; every card left in your hand when someone goes out counts against you. The first to 500 points wins.
How it plays
- Each player gets 7 cards; one card starts the discard pile, the rest is the stock.
- On your turn, draw the top card of the stock, or take any card in the discard pile along with every card above it. If you dig below the top card, you must play that card this turn.
- Lay down sets (3+ of a rank) and runs (3+ in a row in one suit; A-2-3 or Q-K-A). Jokers stand in for any card.
- Add your cards to any meld on the table — yours or anyone's. The points are yours.
- End your turn by discarding. Discard your last card and you go out, which ends the round (so does an empty stock).
- Scoring: 2-9 = 5, 10-K = 10, ace 15 (5 when played low), joker 25 in hand. Table cards count for you, cards in hand against you.
- First to 500 wins. Card values, jokers, hand size, going out and the target are table options.
- Play online with your hand on your own phone (a tablet can show the table), or hot-seat with a pass-the-device curtain.