Form Sets and Runs According to the Round
The Deck:
Shanghai Rummy uses 2 decks of cards for 3-4 players, and 3 decks of cards for 5-8 players. No Jokers are used.
The Card Values:
3-9: 5 Points
10 & Face Cards: 10 Points
Ace: 20 Points
2 (Wild): 25 Points
The Play:
The aim of Shanghai Rummy is to form ‘melds’, which are specific combinations of cards. Valid melds in Shanghai Rummy include sets and runs. Sets are combinations of the same card, while runs are a sequence of consecutive numbers 1♣ 2♣ 3♣ 4♣ For sets, the suit of the card is unimportant, whereas runs require all cards to be from the same suit.
Sets are always 3, Runs are always 4.
Each round, draw one higher than the rule.
In the final round there is no discard to win, all cards must be used in play.
The Rules:
2 Sets of 3 (3 of a Kind)
1 Set & 1 Run (4 in Suit)
2 Runs
3 Sets
2 Sets & 1 Run
2 Runs & 1 Set
3 Runs
Buying
Player may buy a card from the discard pile 3x per hand if approved from everyone ahead of them. They must draw one from the discard and one from the top pile.
How to Win the Game:
At the end of the final round, the winner is the player with the least points.