Shanghai Rummy
The game Shanghai Rummy is variation of Contract Rummy. Visit Contract Rummy to study the rules of that game.
Number of players
3 to 5
Deck used
Two standard 52 card packs including 4 jokers: A(high), K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2(wild), Joker(wild).
Card values
Cards
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
J
Q
K
A
Joker
Value
5
5
5
5
5
5
10
10
10
10
10
10
20
50
Play
Clockwise
Shuffle and cut
Dealer shuffles and the player to his right, cuts.
Deal
Eleven cards are delt to each player
Melding rules
Aces are high only, J Q K A is valid, A 2 3 4 is not valid.
Player cannot meld two books of the same rank such as: 5, 5, 5 and 5, 5, 5.
A joker can be used in a meld to substitute for a missing card.
A book or run cannot contain more than one joker
Additional cards can be added to a players initial meld and to other players melds in the same turn that the initial meld is laid down or in successive turns.
The "May I" rule
Each player is allowed to pick up a card from the discard pile a maximum of 2 times in each round.
The player who picks up the card from the discard pile must also take the top 2 cards from the stock pile.
The cards that are picked up must not be melded or discarded.
After the "May I", play reverts to the player whose turn was interrupted.
You can only initiate a "May I", if the player in turn does not want the discard.
If more than one player wants the "May I", the player whose turn to play occurs sooner has priority.
The "Shanghai" rule
A Shanghai may occur with the following two situations:
A player discards a card which could be added to an existing meld. This player calls "Shanghai" as he discards his card. This prevents it from being picked up by the next player or being "May I"d.
If a player discards a card which could have been added to an existing meld —but does not call "Shanghai"— then any other player may say "Shanghai" and discard to a meld. The calling player then offers his hand face down to the player who missed calling "Shanghai". That player must draw a card from it and place the card drawn in his hand. The player to the left of the player who missed the "Shanghai", takes their turn as usual.
Seven contracts
There are 7 contracts or deals
1st. deal — Two books
Book:
Book:
2nd. deal — One book, one run
Book:
Run:
3rd. deal — Two runs
Run:
Run:
4th. deal — Three books
Book:
Book:
Book:
5th. deal — Two books, one run
Book:
Book:
Run:
6th. deal — One book, two runs
Book:
Run:
Run:
7th. deal — Three runs with no discard
Run:
Run:
Run:
...with no discard
Scoring
Penalty points for cards remaning in players' hand when another player goes out:
Cards
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
J
Q
K
A
Joker
Value
5
5
5
5
5
5
10
10
10
10
10
10
20
50
In each deal play ends for that hand when a player gets rid of his last card. Players then calculate the value of the cards remaining in his hand. At the end of the seventh hand, the player with the lowest score wins.
5, 
5, 
5 and 
5, 
