Game Rules: Rummy 500

Game Identity

• Name: Rummy 500 (Five Hundred Rummy)
• Player Count: 2–8 players. Standard: 3–5.
• Teams: No teams. All players compete individually. (2-player variant is head-to-head.)
• Theme: Classic draw-and-meld card game tracked with pen-and-paper scoring.

Scoring Mechanics

• Scoring Variant: Accumulative — scores grow toward a target.
• Target Score: 500 points (standard). First player to reach or exceed 500 wins.
• Unit of Scoring: Card point values per hand.
• Lower vs. Higher: Higher score wins.

Rules & Validation

Per-Hand Logic

• Points per Hand: Variable. Each player scores the value of cards successfully melded, minus the value of cards still in hand.
• Card Values:
  • Ace: 15 points
  • Face cards (J, Q, K): 10 points each
  • Number cards (2–10): Face value in points
  • Ace low (before any meld or when caught in hand): 1 point
• Net Score: melded_value - unmelded_value. Result can be negative.
• Validation Rules:
  • Players may enter a negative net score for a hand (went out minus cards in hand).
  • No fixed total per hand — scores are independent per player.

Special Actions / Bonuses

• Going Out: The player who empties their hand ends the hand immediately. They score normally (all their melds minus zero cards in hand).
• Going Rummy (Rummy Out): If a player goes out in a single turn (no prior melds) and melds their entire hand at once, they score double the net value of their hand. Toggle in entry sheet.

Win Conditions

• Condition: The hand ends when any player empties their hand. Scores are tallied. If any player's cumulative total reaches or exceeds 500, the player with the highest total wins.
• Tie-Breaker: If two players tie at or above 500, the player who went out wins. If neither went out, play additional hands.

Set Up in Doodle Score

Rummy 500 (Five Hundred Rummy) has a dedicated scorecard in Doodle Score — everything is pre-configured including score tracking, validation, and special rules.

Download the app, tap New Scorecard, and choose Rummy 500 (Five Hundred Rummy).