Rummy 500 Rules
Meld for points, dig into the discard pile and race to 500: how to play Rummy 500, step by step.
Rummy 500 (also called 500 Rum, 500 Rummy or Pinochle Rummy) is the version of rummy where the cards you meld score points for you, and the first player to reach 500 points wins. Two things make it different from basic rummy: you can take cards from deep in the discard pile, and the cards left in your hand at the end count against you. It plays well with two to eight players and is best with three to five. Canasta and several other games are thought to have grown out of it. This guide covers the Rummy 500 rules step by step: card values, the deal, the discard pile, laying off, calling “Rummy!”, scoring, popular variations, strategy and odds.
Rummy 500 Rules at a Glance
| Rummy 500 | |
|---|---|
| Players | Two to eight; best with three to five. |
| Cards | A standard 52-card pack, often with two Jokers as wild cards. Two packs for five or more players. |
| Deal | 13 cards each with two players, 7 each with three or more. |
| Melds | Sets of three or four of a kind, and runs of three or more in one suit. |
| Drawing | The top card of the stock, or any card in the discard pile if you take everything above it and meld it at once. |
| Scoring | Melded cards count for you, cards left in your hand count against you. |
| Winning | The first player to reach 500 points. |
Rummy 500 Card Values
| Card | Points |
|---|---|
| 2 to 10 | Face value (2 to 10) |
| Jack, Queen, King | 10 |
| Ace | 15, or 1 when melded low in A-2-3 |
| Joker (if used) | 15 |
The same values count for you when the card is melded and against you when it is still in your hand at the end. A 52-card pack holds 396 points, or 426 with two Jokers.
How to Play Rummy 500
- Deal. Deal 13 cards each with two players, or 7 each with three or more. Put the rest face down as the stock and turn the top card face up to start the discard pile.
- Spread the discard pile. Overlap the discards so every card in the pile can be seen. Their order never changes.
- Draw. Starting with the player to the dealer’s left, take either the top card of the stock or a card from the discard pile (see below).
- Meld and lay off. Put down any sets or runs you have, and add cards to melds already on the table.
- Discard one card face up on the discard pile to end your turn. If you took only the top discard, you must throw a different card.
- End of the hand. Play stops the moment one player has no cards left, or when the stock is empty and the next player does not want to take from the discard pile.
- Score the hand and deal again until someone reaches 500.
Taking Cards From the Discard Pile
This is the rule that makes Rummy 500 special. You can always take the top discard and keep it. You can also take a card from deeper in the pile, but only if:
- you take that card and every card above it, and
- you meld that card straight away, either in a new set or run or by laying it off on a meld already on the table.
The other cards you pick up go into your hand, and you can meld them in the same turn or keep them for later. A big pick-up can turn a weak hand into a strong one, but every card you take is a card that counts against you if you can’t meld it.
Laying Off and Calling “Rummy!”
You can add cards to any meld on the table, yours or another player’s: the fourth card of a set, or the next card at either end of a run. Because melded cards score for whoever played them, you keep the card in front of you rather than moving it to the other player’s meld. If a card could extend two melds, say which one it goes on; that choice can’t be changed later.
If a player throws a card that could have been melded, any other player can call “Rummy!” before the next player draws. They take the discard pile down to that card, meld it, discard, and play carries on from their left. For example, with 7-8-9 of a suit on the table, a discarded 6 or 10 of that suit can be claimed.
Scoring and Winning
At the end of each hand, every player adds up the points of all the cards they melded or laid off, then subtracts the points of the cards still in their hand. The result is added to their running score, so it can go down as well as up. For example, a player with 88 points on the table and a King and an Ace left in hand (25 points) adds 63.
The first player to reach 500 points wins. If two players pass 500 in the same hand, the higher score wins (some groups give the game to the player who went out).
Popular Rummy 500 Variations
| Variation | What changes |
|---|---|
| Jokers wild | One or two Jokers are added and can stand for any card. Say what the Joker represents when you meld it. |
| 30-point opening | Your first meld must be worth at least 30 points. |
| Round the corner | Runs may wrap from King through Ace to 2, such as K-A-2. Under the standard rules they may not. |
| No picking up to lay off | A card taken from deep in the discard pile must start a new meld of three or more, not just extend one already down. |
| Simplified scoring | Every card from Ace to 9 counts 5 (an Ace played high, 15) and 10s and picture cards 10, which makes adding up quicker. |
| Two packs | With five or more players, two packs are shuffled together; a set must still be all different suits. |
Rummy 500 Strategy
- Watch the discard pile. Every card in it is visible. Plan which card you could dig for and what you would meld it with.
- Meld high cards early. Aces and picture cards score the most for you and cost the most if you are caught with them.
- Don’t hold too long. Keeping cards back to build a bigger meld is risky: if another player goes out, everything in your hand counts against you.
- Be careful what you throw. A discard that fits a meld on the table can be claimed with “Rummy!” or picked up later.
- Lay off on other players’ melds. The points are still yours, and it gets cards out of your hand.
Rummy 500 Odds
- A meld in the deal: with seven cards you are dealt a ready-made set or run only 14% of the time. With 13 cards in a two-player game it is 72%.
- The face-up card: if your seven cards hold no meld, the first face-up card completes one for you 9% of the time.
- Where the points are: Aces, Kings, Queens and Jacks carry 180 of the pack’s 396 points, almost half, though they are only 16 of the 52 cards.
The odds come from 400,000 random deals of a 52-card pack without Jokers.
More Rummy Games
Rummy 500 is one of many games covered in the rummy rules guide. For two players, try Gin Rummy; for partners, Canasta, which grew out of the same family. Card players who like scoring as they go may also enjoy Cribbage.
Like working through a list of melds? Try Phase 10, where every round has its own target.
Rummy 500: frequently asked questions
How do you play Rummy 500?
How many cards do you deal in Rummy 500?
How much are cards worth in Rummy 500?
Can you pick up the whole discard pile in Rummy 500?
Can you lay off on other players' melds in Rummy 500?
What does calling Rummy mean in Rummy 500?
What happens when the stock runs out in Rummy 500?
Is Rummy 500 the same as 500 Rum?
Fadi Hayek
Author & Casino Expert
After going through several successful experiences with several industry pioneers, Fadi Hayek has managed to excel in the world of content for online gaming by providing unique content for several projects that allowed him to obtain the necessary experience to launch his career. Last but not least, Fadi also holds several certificates, including but not limited to content marketing and iGaming.
