Rummy is a popular card game played across the world. As you move from the West to the East, you will find different varieties of the game, including gin rummy, contract rummy, dummy rummy, Shanghai rummy, and Indian rummy. Out of these gin rummy and Indian rummy are very popular with the masses.
Gin rummy was first played in the United States and became widespread in a short period of time. On the other hand, Indian rummy or 13-card rummy is a game popular on the Indian subcontinent in both the real world as well as an online rummy game. Both the variants are packed with unlimited fun and entertainment.
Indian rummy remains the top voted variant of rummy. So what makes it better than the American version of rummy?
Let’s see why Indian rummy is a cut above gin rummy.
- Use of the Joker
While gin rummy does not use any Joker, Indian rummy is incomplete without this card. The Joker plays a crucial role in the game and helps form impure sequences and sets. That is why the card deck used in Indian rummy has 53 cards, including a printed Joker.
There are two types of Jokers: wild and printed Jokers. The wild Joker is randomly selected at the beginning of the game and the remaining cards of the same rank and different suits also act as wild Jokers in the game. The printed Joker can also replace any card in a set or an impure sequence. Jokers are worth zero points and help reduce overall points.
If you have 2 or 3 Jokers in your hand, you can quickly create combinations and declare your cards. In gin rummy, you may have to wait for the right card to complete sets and sequences.
- Versatile Aces
In 13-card rummy, aces are the highest cards, worth 10 points each. They can be used to create sequences with both high and low cards. For example, Q♠-K♠-A♠ and A♠-2♠-3♠.
However, in gin rummy, aces are the lowest cards, worth 1 point each. They are used to complete a sequence with the low cards 2 and 3 only. For example, A♠-2♠-3♠ is a valid sequence in the game.
- No Need to Knock
The scoring system in Indian rummy is simple and straightforward. When a player makes a valid declaration, their score will be zero. The point calculation for losing players is based on the number of unmatched cards in their hands.
In gin rummy, players have two options to declare their hand. The first is to arrange all the cards and declare without any deadwood. It is called going gin and the player gets 25 points.
The second method is called knocking. Players can go for knocking if the total value of their unmatched cards is less than 10. The overall score of that player will be equal to the difference between their deadwood cards and the opponent’s.
So there are high chances of losing in gin rummy if you have 3-4 unmatched cards as your opponent might also go for knocking with 1 or 2 cards. This is not the case in Indian rummy. You can make a valid declaration only with zero points.
While both the variants are unique in their own ways, Indian rummy is much more popular in the Indian subcontinent. You can enjoy different variants of rummy on Junglee Rummy. Download our online rummy app now to get exclusive offers and a big welcome bonus! Happy gaming!
