Shanghai Rummy: How to Play, Rules, Setup, & Scoring Guide
The Shanghai Rummy card game, which is confusingly also known as California Rummy, is a type of Contact Rummy game played with multiple decks of cards and three to eight players.
It uses many classic rules you’ll be familiar with from other Rummy variations but with a few unique twists that give this game a style all its own. This is a good place to start if you’re looking for classic and modern card games for two people.
Quick Summary of Shanghai Rummy Rules
Use two decks and one Joker for three or four players and three decks and two Jokers for five to eight players.
Deal everyone 11 cards. Place the top card of the deck face-up in the middle of the table and the deck next to it.
There are ten Shanghai Rummy rounds, with varied meld rules in each.
Players can lay off and buy cards as they seek to complete melds.
Points are calculated at the end of each round.
The player with the fewest points at the end of the ten rounds wins.
It’s a little more complicated than other Rummy games, including the Three Card Rummy game by Nucleus, but it won’t take long to grasp Shanghai Rummy rules fully.
How to Play the Shanghai Rummy Card Game
The Shanghai Rummy card game is often played among friends. It makes for a great home game, as it’s easy to learn and involves up to eight players. You can also play Shanghai Rummy online, with fun-play and real-money versions.
Before you get started, learn the full Shanghai Rummy rules below.
The Setup
You can play the Shanghai Rummy card game with between three and eight players. The number of players around the table will dictate how many decks you need:
- Three or four players = two decks and one Joker
- Five to eight players = three decks and two Jokers
All players need to sit within reach of two piles of cards, so arrange everyone in a circle around a table.
The Deal
Shuffle the decks together and deal 11 cards to every player, starting with the player to the dealer’s left and giving each player one card in turn.
Turn over the top card of the deck and place it in the middle of the table. This is the discard pile. Place the remainder of the deck alongside this pile.
Playing Shanghai Rummy
The first player draws a card from either the deck or the discard pile. They must then decide if they want to use this card or not. Either way, they’ll need to discard a card at the end of the hand.
The goal of Shanghai Rummy is to create combinations of cards known as “melds.” A meld can consist of:
Sets: Three cards of the same rank (such as three 7s)
Runs: Four consecutive cards (such as 3, 4, 5, and 6)
Meld requirements change from round to round, and you must play them face up in front of you when you have them. At the end of the round, all remaining cards in all hands are shuffled back into the deck, players are dealt another 11 cards, and a new round begins.
Shanghai Rummy Rounds
Shanghai Rummy rounds dictate what type of meld you need, with the requirements getting more complicated as the game progresses:
- Round One: Two sets containing three cards each.
- Round Two: One three-card set and a run of four cards.
- Round Three: Two runs, each containing four cards.
- Round Four: Three sets of three cards each.
- Round Five: A set of three cards and a run of seven.
- Round Six: A set of three cards and a run of five.
- Round Seven: Three runs of four cards.
- Round Eight: A set of three cards and a run of ten.
- Round Nine: Three sets of three cards and a run of five.
- Round Ten: Three runs of five cards each.
Joker Cards in the Shanghai Rummy Card Game
The Joker is wild in Shanghai Rummy, which substitutes for every other card in the game. You can play Jokers during all Shanghai Rummy rounds, adding them to both sets and runs as appropriate.
Laying Off and Buying
If you have played your melds but still have cards you can combine with melds from previous rounds, you can add them. This process is known as “laying off.”
For instance, you can add a Queen to an existing set of Queens or a run of 8, 9, 10, J.
When players draw from the top of the deck, their opponents can optionally “buy” the card on the top of the discard pile.
Players can buy three times per round during the first nine rounds and four times in the final round. Everyone can claim the card, but if multiple people are bidding, it will go to the closest player. The “fee” for buying a card is for the player to take the next card from the top of the deck.
Finishing the Game and Adding Up Scores
A player is classed as “going out” when they discard the final card in their hand. This ends the round.
However, they don’t go out immediately after melding or laying off. They must wait until their next turn, draw another card, and either lay it off or discard it.
As soon as a player goes out, the round ends. Points are then tallied based on the value of the cards that other players still hold:
- Five points for 2-9
- Ten points for 10, Jack, Queen, and King
- 15 points for Aces
- 25 points for Jokers
The player with the least points at the end of all ten Shanghai Rummy rounds wins.
Summary: Shanghai Rummy Card Game Rules
It’s time to combine those Shanghai Rummy hands and build those melds! If you like the Shanghai card game, try the Three Card Rummy game by Betsoft or learn the basics and strategies for Gin Rummy, one of the most popular Rummy variants.
Table Games Common Queries
How to play Shanghai Rummy card game?
Start with three to eight players, deal 11 cards from two or three decks, and set up for ten rounds. Players complete melds, and points are totaled based on the remaining cards at the end of each round. The player with the fewest points wins.
How many decks for Shanghai Rummy?
You need two decks for three or four players and three decks for five to eight.
How do you play the card game Shanghai?
It works much like other Rummy variations. The difference is that it has ten short rounds with specific meld rules, and points are added at the end of each round.
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