How to play Indian Rummy (13-card rummy)
Learn Indian Rummy from scratch: the 13-card deal, sets and sequences, the pure-sequence rule, drawing, discarding and declaring. Simple steps with examples.
Updated 2026-10-17 · By the App All Rummy editorial team
Indian Rummy, also called 13-card rummy, is a card game for 2 to 6 players. The goal is simple: arrange all 13 cards in your hand into valid groups, then declare before anyone else does.
What you need
- One or two standard 52-card decks, depending on the number of players, plus printed jokers.
- A table of 2 to 6 players. Two players is the most common format in apps.
- A way to keep score if you play several deals.
The deal
Each player gets 13 cards. One card is turned face up to start the discard pile, and the rest form the closed draw pile. A random card is then chosen as the wild-card joker for the round (apps show it for you). The printed jokers are also wild.
Valid groups: sequences and sets
Sequence
Three or more consecutive cards of the same suit, such as 4♥ 5♥ 6♥. An ace can be low (A-2-3) or high (Q-K-A).
Pure sequence
A sequence with no joker substituting for any card. Every valid hand needs at least one pure sequence.
Impure sequence
A sequence that uses a joker in place of a missing card, such as 7♠ [joker] 9♠.
Set
Three or four cards of the same rank but different suits, such as 9♠ 9♥ 9♦. Jokers may substitute for one of them.
A winning declaration needs at least two sequences, and one of them must be a pure sequence. The remaining cards can be sequences or sets.
How a turn works
- Draw one card, either from the closed pile or the top of the discard pile.
- Rearrange your hand if you like.
- Discard exactly one card face up. You always hold 13 cards between turns.
- When your 13 cards form valid groups, you ‘declare’ by discarding your 14th card in the finish slot.
Declaring and winning
After you declare, the other players show their cards. A correct hand wins the deal. If your groups are not valid, it is a wrong declaration and you take a penalty in points games.
Practice before you play online
The quickest way to learn is to play against the computer in an offline app. Our list of free-to-play rummy apps marks which ones work without internet.
Frequently asked questions
How many cards are dealt in Indian Rummy?
13 cards to each player.
What is a pure sequence?
A run of three or more consecutive cards of the same suit that contains no joker.
Do you need two sequences to win?
Yes. A valid declaration needs at least two sequences, and at least one of them must be a pure sequence.
Want to practise? See our free-to-play rummy apps, checked against Google Play.