Rummy is one of the most enthralling and entertaining card games known to human beings. It is a skill based card game available online as well, which is known for its suspenseful gameplay. But did you know that it has an equally suspenseful story of origin? The game also has many variations, much like the many many strategies that emerge in the gameplay even with simple rules. There are many facts about Rummy, which are quite interesting to you as a new or seasoned Rummy fan.
The game involves close observation of opponents’ moves and counting cards accurately. It requires a player to have dedication to practice and fine tune their Rummy strategy over time to be able to consistently win games. But for now, let us show our unconditional love for the game and explore some interesting facts about it that’ll blow your mind.
- Origin Story
Rummy is said to have originated in the 19th century from a spanish card game called Conquain which was a type a gin Rummy, was known as a unique game with simple rules yet requiring close attention and practiced skill to play the game. While that is the most popular origin story, Rummy is also thought to have originated with the oriental game of Mah-jong, a tile based card matching game. Noone really knows the real history. Some theories even suggest that the name ‘Rummy’ originated from England.
Today, Rummy is a very popular game across the world. In India, Rummy is an extremely popular game played in almost every household and even more so since the advent of online games.
- Rich man’s Poker
Rummy is thought to have descended from a poker game which was played by rich people in which the losing player in each round had to buy the other players a round of Rum. It is said that the cards used to be hand painted and were thus expensive. Since it involved expensive cards and alcoholic drinks, it was played mainly among rich people or in Rich families.
- Variations
Rummy has over 60 variations that we can list. However, in reality there are 100s of variations of Rummy. Some of the most popular variations of Rummy are : 13-point classical Indian Rummy, gin Rummy, Penang, Rummy 500, speed Rummy, and block Rummy. Of course with the advent of online games, online Rummy has become a category of its own, bringing ardent Rummy fans and novice players instant easy access to the 100s of variations of the game at their fingertips.
- Playtime
Rummy is said to have originated as a family game, played for long hours as a source of entertainment and family bonding. Evidently Rummy games can stretch across hours together. In fact, historically, Rummy is known to have been a game with the longest play time, longer even than the play time of all board and card games of the time.
- Other Fun Facts
Rummy is thought to be a gambling game in some countries and hence is banned even though the game actually requires considerable skill to play and/or win.
There are many games derived from Rummy like Pinochle and Bridge. Some Rummy variations are also known as flash or flush in India. In some fan circles Rummy is said to be the mother of all card games.
There is no record of the longest game of Rummy ever played. However, Rummy has a 500 hour time limit. This is interesting to note as it shows just how long Rummy games must have stretched on even when it originated.
Conclusion:
Rummy is a game anyone can play but a skilled player can win. It’s cool history just adds to the panache that the game already has. Technology has brought Rummy, its background, and its variations to millions of people worldwide, thereby multiplying it’s already existing popularity manifold. Today it is played for real cash as well as without cash online and offline across the world.