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Rummies where players score for melds to the table are among the most sophisticated. Here
we present rules for three closely-related games that represent the best of the genre.
Fortune Rummy is a fast moving game with a large luck element that was popular in the Midwest
back in the 1940’s. Almost unheard of today, the only published source for the game is Scarne
on Cards.
Arlington is much more popular. Also known as Oklahoma Rummy, its rules differ from those of
Fortune Rummy in several minor ways. But the small rules changes alter play significantly.
We detail the complete rules for Fortune Rummy first, then describe Arlington in terms of its
differences.
Finally we present our favorite form of these games, which we’ve named Arlington Heights. This
game is of our own invention and modifies rules into the formulae we’ve found most exciting.
Fortune Rummy—
This is a game for anywhere from two to eight players. While Scarne on Cards says it works
best with four or five, we’ve really enjoyed it with just two of us.
The game uses two standard decks of 52 cards. Each player is dealt 11 cards, and one card is
left face-up on the table to start the discard pile. The remaining cards become the drawing
stock.
The object of a hand is to score points by melding cards to the table. Any cards left in one’s
hand at the conclusion of a hand count against the player holding them. The first player to win at
least 500 points across as many hands (deals) as it takes wins the game.
Deuces are wild and can used to represent any other card. Card point values when played in
melds to the table are—
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K down to 8
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10 points each
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7 down to 3
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5 points each
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Ace
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10 points when played high in a meld (A-K-Q)
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5 points when played low in a meld (A-2-3)
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2
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10 points when representing K through 8
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5 points when representing 7 through 3
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10 points when representing the Queen of Spades
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Queen of Spades
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50 points each
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Cards left in a player’s hand at the end of the deal counts points against that player--
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K down to 8
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-10 points each
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7 down to 3
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-5 points each
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Ace
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-10 points each
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2
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-10 points each
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Queen of Spades
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-50 points each
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The valid melds are the same as Gin Rummy—
1. 3 or 4 cards of the same rank
2. A sequence of 3 or more cards in the same suit
You can not meld 5 or more cards in one meld ; 4 cards together constitute the maximum meld.
Aces may be played either high or low, but not “around the corner” (K-A-2-3). Deuces can not
be melded together in a 2’s meld, they can only act as substitutes for cards of other values in
melds.
In his turn —
1. The player takes one or more cards into his hand. He has a choice: he can take either the
single top card of the drawing stock, or he can take all the cards in the discard pile.
If the player takes up the discard deck, he must immediately put down a meld in which the
topmost discard is embodied. This meld must include at least two cards from the player’s
hand. The player will do this first, prior to taking up all remaining cards in the discard
pile as required. This prevents reneging (error) in an attempt to pick up the discard pile.
2. The player places face-up on the table any meld(s) he wishes to play. A player may add
cards to his own melds on the table but may not play on opponent’s melds.
3. The player ends his turn by playing one card face-up to the top of the discard pile. Cards in
the discard pile are squared such that only the single topmost card is visible at any time.
Players may not look at any cards in the discard deck hidden by the topmost card.
A hand ends when one player rummies all his cards to the table. A player can optionally discard a one
card when going out.
At the conclusion of the hand, each player scores the difference (positive or negative) between
the totals of the cards he has scored to the table versus those cards still in his hand. The player
who rummies does not get a bonus for going out. However, he does not score any negative
points for cards in his hand (since he doesn’t have any).
In the rare event that the discard pile goes empty while play is in progress, all cards in the
discard pile are immediately turned over (with the exception of the upcard) and the hand
continues with those cards as the new stock. The cards are not shuffled, just turned over.
Strategy—
Similar to most scoring rummies, play your cards to the table. Don’t get caught with
them in hand (especially heavy cards). Track when your opponent might rummy and dump high
cards to the discard deck just prior to this. Score Queens of Spades as quickly as possible if
you draw them, but if you draw them late in the game, you may have little chance to meld them.
Optimize the use of your deuces to maximize your score. Consider keeping one in hand to
prevent from being caught with the Queen of Spades for penalty.
Rules Variations--
Some play that you can not discard the Queen of Spades unless you have
no other card, and that sequence melds (only) may be extended beyond the four-card maximum.
For Further Information—
See Scarne on Cards, the only known published source.
Arlington (or Oklahoma Rummy) --
While Fortune Rummy is little known today, its sister game Arlington is widely popular. The
rules of the game are highly similar to those of Fortune Rummy (described above). Here we just
summarize the differences between the two games.
Use two standard card decks, as in Fortune Rummy. Deuces are still wild. However, deal each
player 13 cards (instead of 11), and play to 1,000 points across hands to win the game (instead
of 500).
Rules for the discard deck, taking it up into one’s hand, and melding are all the same as in
Fortune Rummy. As before, players can only add to their own melds on the table. Once again,
players can not meld more than 4 cards in any single meld.
Card values differ slightly—
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K down to 8
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10 points each
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7 down to 3
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5 points each
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Ace
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20 points (whether played high or low in a meld)
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2
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10 points when representing K through 8
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5 points when representing 7 through 3
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25 points in a meld of Deuces only (Scarne rules only)
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50 points when representing the Queen of Spades (Scarne)
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Queen of Spades
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50 points each
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You may meld a set of deuces only, in which case each 2 in the meld scores 25 points. Deuces
can not represent the Queen of Spades unless they replace that card in a meld that is otherwise
fully natural (eg: King of Spades, Deuce, Jack of Spades).
The Queen of Spades can not be discarded, unless you have no other card in your hand.
Negative points are the same as above, with the exception that Queens of Spades in hand count
–100 points each. Deuces in hand count –20 points each.
A player who rummies scores an extra 100 points for the feat (versus Fortune Rummy, which
has no going-out bonus.)
Rules Variations--
Some add one Joker as a special wild card. The Joker counts 100 points
when melded or –200 if caught in hand at deal’s end. Whoever melds the Joker may later take it
back in hand by replacing it with the natural card it represents. They may then use the Joker
again later. Some play that only the person who first melded the Joker may take it back; others
play that anyone may take the Joker in hand by replacing it with its natural card in the meld
For Further Information--
These rules are from Oxford: A-Z of Card Games by David Parlett.
Scarne on Cards presents similar rules, except that you can discard the Queen of Spades, and
it counts –50 points if held at hand’s end, instead of –100 points. Card point values also vary
slightly for Scarne, as noted in the scoring chart above.
Arlington Heights--
Fortune Rummy and Arlington are among our favorite games. Over time, we’ve evolved our
own set of rules. These modifications reduce the luck element (which we believe too large), and
enliven the game. They also simplify scoring.
Here is our own favorite formulation of Fortune Rummy and Arlington rules, which we call
Arlington Heights. We describe its rules in terms of how they differ from those of Fortune
Rummy, described above.
To form the playing deck, take two standard 52-card packs. Remove all 2’s and replace them
with four Jokers. The four Jokers are wild cards. So now you have only four wild cards in the
deck rather than eight, and a total of 100 playing cards. Fewer wild cards increase the
importance of skill and reduces the luck factor.
As in Fortune Rummy, deal each player 11 cards. A game across hands is 500 points.
Rules for discarding and picking up the discard pile remain the same. Rules for melding also
remain the same. Players take their turns in the same manner as before.
Card point values are as follows:
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K down to 10
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10 points each
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9 down to 3
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5 points each
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Ace
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20 points when played high in a meld (A-K-Q)
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5 points when played low in a meld (A-2-3)
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Queen of Spades
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50 points each
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Joker
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Scores the number of points equal to the card it represents (which may be any of the above)
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Card values when caught with them in hand at the end of the game are:
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K down to 10
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-10 points each
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9 down to 3
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-5 points each
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Ace
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-20 points each
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Joker
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-20 points each
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Queen of Spades
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-50 points each
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You can not discard the Queen of Spades. You must either meld it or be stuck with it in hand at
end of the deal. You may not form an all-Jokers melds (Joker-Joker-Joker). Jokers may only
be used to represent other cards in the deck. Jokers may only represent the Queen of Spades
when played to an otherwise all-natural meld (eg: King of Spades, Joker, Jack of Spades).
The rummy (going out) bonus is 50 points.
Analysis--
The Queen of Spades presents a quandary. Since you can not discard it, you really
must meld it. Meld it quickly if you can. Keeping a Joker around for the purpose is sometimes
useful. On occasion you’ll draw the Queen of Spades late in the hand and have no real chance
to meld it. Oops! This game has a dash of bad luck, as well as the good luck of drawing Jokers
or easily melding the Queen of Spades.
The rummy bonus makes going out significant (unlike Fortune Rummy which has no such bonus).
But it is less dominant than in Arlington. Arlington scores it so high at 100 points that it becomes
the dominant scoring feature.
For Further Information--
Do you have your own modified form of Oklahoma Rummy? Send it in! We’d love to hear from you.
Tell us what you think of the variant we prefer, Arlington Heights. Email us at webmasterA at the
domain name, CardsAndDominoes.com. Thank you for your interest.
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