📌 Quick Info
- Name of the Game: Kalooki Rummy
- Number of Players: 2 to 6
- Decks Required: 2 standard 52-card decks + Jokers (total 108 cards)
🎯 Objective
To form valid melds (sets and runs) using 13 cards and go out before others by placing all your cards in valid groups.
🛠️ What You Need
- 2 decks of cards with 4 Jokers (108 cards total)
- Paper and pen for scoring
- Enough table space for laying down cards and discards
🔄 How to Play – Step by Step
▶️ Setup
- Each player is dealt 13 cards.
- One card is placed face-up to start the discard pile.
- Remaining cards are placed face-down as the draw pile.
▶️ Turn Structure
- Draw one card — either from the draw pile or discard pile.
- Form or improve your melds (sets and runs).
- Discard one card at the end of your turn.
🧠 What is a Valid Meld?
- Set (Group): 3 or 4 cards of the same rank but different suits (e.g., 6♠ 6♥ 6♦)
- Run (Sequence): 3 or more cards of the same suit in consecutive order (e.g., 3♣ 4♣ 5♣)
- Jokers may be used as wild cards to complete any meld.
📜 Rules
- To lay down cards for the first time, you must have melds totaling a minimum of 40 points.
- Points = card value (Face cards = 10, A = 1, Joker = 0 or value it substitutes)
- You may lay down multiple melds once the 40-point rule is met.
- Once you’ve laid down, you can also “lay off” (add cards to existing melds).
- To win, discard your last card after all others are part of valid melds.
⚙️ Optional / House Rules
- Joker Restrictions: Only 1 Joker per meld or maximum 2 allowed — vary by region.
- Penalty Scoring: Unused cards in hand are counted against you at the end of each round.
- Multi-round Play: Kalooki is often played as a points-based game over several rounds.
🧮 Example Play
- Hand: 2♦ 3♦ 4♦ | 9♠ 9♣ 9♥ | Q♠ Q♣ 🃏 (Joker) | 5♥ 6♥ | J♠
- Melds:
- Run: 2♦ 3♦ 4♦
- Set: 9♠ 9♣ 9♥
- Set with Joker: Q♠ Q♣ 🃏
- Partial Run: 5♥ 6♥ (waiting for 7♥)
- Remaining Card: J♠ (needs to discard or use in a run/set)
📚 History & Origin
- Kalooki is a variation of Contract Rummy with British and Jamaican roots.
- The name “Kalooki” or “Kaluki” has several spellings and regional variants.
- Popular in the UK, Caribbean, and among competitive Rummy players.
- Played both casually and in tournaments across the globe.