21 Card Rummy vs. 13 Card Rummy: Key Differences You Need To Know

Everyone loves a good game of cards from time to time. It helps them enjoy light-hearted moments with their loved ones. Indian people generally love to play two versions of card-games like Rummy, namely 21 card Rummy and 13 card Rummy. 

21 card Rummy is an old version of Indian Rummy, which people play during festivals or special occasions like weddings in India. 

This game requires three playing card decks. 

13 card Rummy online, on the other hand, is a modern version of Indian Rummy that is popular due to its simple rules, quick decision making and short rounds. 

Let’s continue exploring them further in detail below.

Some Basic Terms You Should Understand About These Games

Before you learn about 21 card rummy Game, you should first understand these terms well:

i) Tunnels: 3 cards that belong to the same suit and face value that form a pure sequence

ii) Doubles: 2 cards with the same suit and face value

iii) Toss: used to determine the player who goes first

iv) Joker: a wild card that completes a sequence or set

v) Upper Joker: a card with a higher rank than the assigned Joker card 

vi) Lower Joker: a card with a lower rank than the assigned Joker card 

vii) Sequence: A series of 3 or more consecutive cards belonging to the same suit 

viii) Set: A group of 3 or more consecutive cards belonging to the same rank

ix) Declare: Showing your hand (sets/sequences of cards) after arranging the cards properly

Similarly, you should familiarise yourself with these terms before you play 13 card Rummy online:

i) Joker: A wild card or a printed card that is used to complete an incomplete set or sequence

ii) Closed/Draw Deck: The pile of cards formed from the un-dealt cards from where you can draw cards before each turn begins

iii) Open/Discard Deck: The pile of cards formed from the cards discarded by the players at each turn

iv) Deadwood: The ungrouped cards at the end of the game 

v) Sequence: A series of 3 or more consecutive cards belonging to the same suit 

vi) Set: A group of 3 or more consecutive cards belonging to the same rank

vii) Melding: The act of forming sets or sequences

viii) Drop: When a player quits at any given point in the game

Rules and Gameplay Differences  

Let’s explore the differences between the 21-card and 13-card variants of Rummy below.  

21 Card Rummy

Number of Cards Dealt

Each player receives about 21 cards each. After you receive your cards, you’re supposed to form valid sequences or sets as quickly as possible. You will need three pure sequences, eight jokers in a group, three tunnels or eight doubles to declare your cards. 

Another factor you must remember about this game is the different types of Jokers involved in it. For starters, you have the cards with ‘Joker’ printed on them. Apart from these cards, you can assign or choose a certain card as a ‘Cut’ Joker for all rounds.

For example, if you assign the Five of Spades as the ‘Cut’ Joker, all the other Number Five cards are considered jokers. 

Apart from that, the cards that are lower and higher than this card, like the Number Four and Number Six, will also be considered Joker cards for all rounds. 

You can use these Joker cards to complete sequences or sets. Additionally, you will have to spend a lot of time playing this game due to the depth of thinking required. 

13 Card Rummy

This is a simpler variant as compared to 21 card Rummy. In this game, each player receives 13 cards each. You should form valid sequences or sets to win this game. 

You need to create one pure sequence (that does not involve Jokers) and one impure sequence (that involves one or more Jokers). However, unlike in 21-card Rummy, the Joker carries 0 points here. 

The basic aim of 13 card Rummy online is to accumulate sequences or sets of low-value cards to score the lowest points. That’s because the player with the lowest score in this game wins. 

Furthermore, pure sequences carry 0 points, while ungrouped cards carry points equivalent to their face value. Players who lose accumulate 80 points or less. 

Read for more info: Rules of 13 Card Rummy Game – All You Need To Know

Strategies and More for 21 Card Rummy vs 13 Card Rummy  

Some tips and tricks you can employ to win the highest and lowest scores in 21 and 13 card Rummy are:

21 Card Rummy Strategies   

Firstly, you should master the rules of 21 card Rummy, understand the different terminologies (like tunnels and doubles), and practice making sets or sequences quickly. 

Furthermore, you will be able to understand which cards to draw or discard during these practice sessions and how to form the best sequences or sets.

You should also practice keeping ‘middle cards’ to form melds easily. For example, you can form the following melds if you have a Number Five middle card:

i) Number Five, Number Six, Number Seven 

ii) Number Three, Number Four, Number Five

13 Card Rummy Strategies 

You should master forming pure and impure sequences as fast as possible to win 13 card Rummy online. 

Apart from that, we recommend that you develop quick decision-making skills. Lastly, you should practice drawing and using the Joker cards for your impure sequence as often as possible to derive the lowest score. 

How Scoring Works in 21 Card Rummy and 13 Card Rummy

Continue reading to learn more about the scoring system in 21 and 13 card Rummy below. .

Scoring in 21 Card Rummy

The winner in this rummy game is the one who accumulates points equivalent to the sum of the points dropped by players until someone makes a valid declaration. 

In other words, if more than one player drops, the winner who made the valid declaration gets 30 points. When a player drops the game after the first move, the winner gets 70 points each.

Apart from that, the score for players who lose in 21 card Rummy is compiled by counting: 

i) all the cards if they don’t have a pure sequence

ii) the cards in the impure sequence if a player has managed to accumulate only two sequences

You should note that players can lose a maximum of 120 points. However, they lose all those points if they score 100 or less. 

Some special circumstances

However, if you declare six or more Doubles or seven or more Jokers, you will lose only 2 points. 

Apart from that, if you miss three consecutive terms, you obtain a middle drop and lose 70 points.

Lastly, you will lose only half your points if you haven’t had your first turn before your opponent makes a valid declaration. 

Calculating the value score 

You will receive positive points for non-dropped cards in addition to the points you win or lose. Take a look at the table below to understand the points you will earn for these value cards:

	Single Card	Two Card	Three Card
Same Suit Joker	10	30	50
Higher Joker	10	30	50
Lower Joker	10	30	50

So, in other words, your total score can be calculated as follows:

Total score: Points won after declaring a valid hand + [(value points received from non-dropped players) – (value points given to non-dropped players)].

Scoring in 13 Card Rummy

You will not have to spend so much time understanding how to calculate points for 13 card Rummy online. That’s because the pure sequences and Joker cards carry 0 points. 

So, the score you obtain will be determined from the ungrouped cards. 

However, you should understand the drop system. 

When one or more players drop the game during their first move, they get a penalty of 20 points each. However, they get a penalty of 40 points each if they drop after their first move. 

A player who has not managed to meld their cards into the desired sequences or sets gets a penalty of 80 points. 

The Final Word

Ultimately, depending on your skill level and patience, you choose from either 13 or 21 card Rummy. However, you should first master the basics of each game and play many practice matches.

After you’ve gained expertise in those matches, you can play the game you want on our website. Hope you have an amazing time!