Knock Rummy Card Game

Knock Rummy, also known as Poker Rum, is a quick-paced game for two or more players. Any player can end the play by ‘knocking’ at the end of their turn. It’s similar to basic Rummy: the aim is to collect sets of 3 or 4 matching cards and runs of 3 or more consecutive cards in the same suit by drawing and discarding cards. When a player knocks, everyone shows their hands, and the player with the lowest value of unmatched cards wins.

Knock Rummy is a version of the well-known Rummy matching game. The name comes from the action of knocking to end a hand. It’s popular worldwide and has many variations just like we have a lot of variations in poker. Depending on the players, you can play just for fun or with money.

The Objective of Knock Rummy Card Game

Players aim to form sets of cards. They need three or four cards of the same rank or three or more cards in a sequence of the same suit. A player can choose to knock and end the round if their unmatched cards are fewer than their opponents’.

Before getting into the gameplay details, we need to understand two key terms in knock rummy: dealing and melding.

How Dealing Takes Place In The Knock Rummy Card Game

The dealer gives one card at a time, face down, starting with the player on the left. If two people play, each gets 10 cards. If three or four people play, each gets seven cards. If five or six play, each gets six cards. The remaining cards go face down on the table as the stock.

The top card of the stock is flipped face up to become the upcard. This card is placed next to the stock to start the discard pile.

If two people play, the winner of each hand deals the next. If more than two play, the deal passes to the next player on the left.

Melding

Melding is forming groups of cards. These groups can be three or four cards of the same rank or three or more cards in a sequence within the same suit.

Knock Rummy Card Game Rules

1. If a player has no unmatched cards after a knock, they have a rum. In this case, the player gets 25 bonus points plus the number of unmatched cards from each player.
2. If a player knocks but doesn’t have the lowest count, the player with the lowest count wins the hand. The winning player scores the difference between each player’s count and a 10-point penalty from the knocker.
3. If a player knocks and there’s a tie for the lowest count, the tying players split the score.
4. If a player knocks and ties with another player, the non-knocker wins the difference. The knocker gets no points.
5. If the draw deck runs out, you can make a new draw deck by flipping the discard pile.

How Do You Play the Game Knock Rummy?

The player to the dealer’s left starts. The turn moves clockwise.

A player begins by taking either the top card from the face-down stock pile or the top card from the face-up discard pile. They add this card to their hand. Then, they must either:

1. Discard one card from their hand face up onto the discard pile. The turn then passes to the next player.
2. ‘Knock’ by discarding one card from their hand face down on the discard pile, ending the play.

In most rummy games, if a player takes the top card from the discard pile, they cannot discard that same card. The discard pile remains unchanged.

A player can knock on any turn, even their first. So, some players might not get a turn before the play ends.

Players usually knock early in this game. It’s rare for the stock pile to run out. If the stock pile is empty and the next player does not want to draw from the discard pile, the play ends. The hand is then scored with no bonus or penalty for the knock.

Knock Rummy Card Game Scoring Rules

• Winning with the Lowest Deadwood Count:
  • If you knock and have the lowest deadwood count, you win points from all other players based on the point difference.
• Knocking with a Rummy:
  • If you knock and have a rummy (all your cards are in melds), you receive the point difference plus a 25-point bonus from each opponent.
• Knocking with a Tied Deadwood Count:
  • If you knock and an opponent has the same deadwood points as you, that opponent collects the point difference from the other players.
  • If more than one opponent ties your Deadwood score, they split the difference between themselves.
• Knocking with Higher Deadwood Count than an Opponent:
  • If you knock and any opponent has fewer deadwood points than you, the opponent with the lowest deadwood count wins the point difference from each player.
  • Those players split the difference if there’s a tie for the lowest deadwood count.
• Penalties for Having Higher Deadwood Points:
  • Every opponent who has fewer deadwood points than you also receives a 10-point penalty from you.
• Setting the Winning Score:
  • Before the first hand, players agree on the score needed to win the game.

How to Keep Score

• If a player knocks and has the lowest number of unmatched cards, they win points equal to the difference.
• If a player knocks and gets a rummy (all their cards are in melds), they get the point difference from all other players plus a 25-point bonus from each.
• If a player knocks and another has the same unused cards, the other player gets the point difference from everyone else.
• If multiple players tie with the knocker’s deadwood score, they split the point difference.
• If a player knocks and more than one opponent has fewer deadwood points, the lowest scorer gets the point difference from all. If opponents tie, they split the points.
• Opponents with fewer deadwood points than you also get 10 points from you. Before the first hand, players decide the winning score.

Can You Play The Knock Rummy Game Online?

Yes, various online platforms offer you the advantage of playing the knock rummy game online.