Mexican Rummy - All You Need To Know

Mexican Rummy - All You Need To Know

Table of content:

Rummy is very popular worldwide. Variations of the rummy card game are played in various parts of the world. For example, in India, Indian rummy or paplu (13 card rummy) is extremely popular.

We at GetMega, are bringing to you some of these different versions of rummy through a series of articles. In this article, we will explain Mexican rummy. This version is very popular particularly in Mexico and other parts of Southern America.

We have also covered other variations such as Indian rummy, Russian rummy, rummy 500, and also the basics of a rummy card game in separate articles. Please click here to read them on our blog.

GetMega Rummy is an amazing platform that lets you play rummy with friends & family with real money. Sounds fun, isn't it? Download the GetMega rummy app now!

Mexican rummy rules

Mexican rummy can be played by 2 to 8 players. The number of decks to be used will depend on the number of players-

2-4 players= 3 decks

5-6 players= 4 decks

7-8 players= 5 decks

The object of the game

There are 11 hands called phases. Each phase has a particular combination of cards in order to complete the phase. The first player to complete all 11 phases is the winner.

How to play Mexican rummy

How to play Mexican rummy

  • 11 cards are dealt with each player in each hand of Mexican rummy
  • The remaining cards are placed face down on the table (stockpile). The top card from the stockpile is placed face-up on the table beside it. This becomes the discard pile.
  • The player on the left of the dealer starts the phase, and the round progresses in a clockwise manner
  • During your turn, you can draw one card either from the stockpile or from the discard pile
  • Your turn ends when you discard the card
  • Your aim should be to make the combination of the phase. We have explained the combinations below
  • Once you have made the required phase of the hand you should try to get rid of the remaining cards in hand (called hitting). You can add cards to other laid down phases whether your own or belonging to other players
  • However, hitting is allowed only after your own Phase is already laid down.
  • The first person laying down all the cards (going out) is the winner of Mexican rummy.

List of Mexican Card Games

Here is the list of Mexican card games:

A. Conquian: Western Rummy got its inception from Conquian and the ones who have played it are well familiar with the concepts and structure of the game. 40-card decks are used, with the 8, 9, and 10 cards detached from the standard 52-card deck. The stock is made up of the leftover cards after each player is given ten cards. The basic objective is to meld 11 cards by ruling out and playing the combinations. Melds are made purely on the basis of the card that is disclosed from the top of the stock and must be operated in the meld. When a player 'goes out,' the game is over.

B. Mexican Poker: It is one of the most renowned Mexican card games which utilizes the 41-card deck with the 8,9,10 card detached. Every player is required to deal with 5 cards, with a mandate of placing 1 card placed downward facing. Players are required to move in a well-phased manner i.e., player do bet in phases but is riskier as one card always has to be faced down.

Mexican card games

C. Buro Castigado: It is basically a kid’s card game that is played by using the Spanish card set and engages 40 cards. The game is created in a manner that involves 4-8 players and the object is to avail the cards of similar number. When a player loses, he gets a letter from the word ‘Burro’ which further accumulates to a loss counter. The completion of words eliminates the player.

D. Malilla: The game holds its roots in Spain back in the 19th century. It is a Mexican card game of point tricking. 40-card decks are used, with the 8, 9, and 10 cards detached from the standard 52-card deck. The game turns around scoring with cards in a trick where 7 is the most worth point. The first trick is led by the dealer, and each player replies with a card that matches the suit, if feasible. The game comes to an end after all the cards are played.

E. La Viuda: This game, also known as La Vida, is based on a popular Whiskey Poker game from North America. The game is played with a regular 52-card deck plus two jokers for 4-7 players. The term ‘La Viuda,’ which translates to ‘The Widow,’ refers to a unique chip put in the pool that gives a player who buys it additional life. The game is played in the same way as Whiskey Poker, with each player receiving five cards twice, the second time as a backup hand.

F. Siete Loco: Siete Loco, which translates to ‘Crazy Eights,’ is a game in which the goal is to acquire a score as near to 7 as possible without surpassing the value. The conventional 40-card deck is used in this game, which is a 52-card deck with the 8, 9, and 10s removed. The J, Q, and K cards are worth half a point each, while the number cards are for one point each. Players are given one card at a time, similar to Blackjack, and can request more cards.

G. Loteria: This is a chance card game played in Mexico with graphic cards. The term Lotera literally means ‘lottery,’ and the deck has 54 pictures. The vocalist will choose a card and declare it to the other players, who will then put the card on your board if it belongs. A participant who accomplishes a horizontal, vertical, diagonal, or square pattern, identical to Bingo, wins.

Playing Methodology and playing parameters

In this section, we will explain the Mexican rummy rules for phases and for calculating the score.

Mexican rummy rules for phases

In each phase, you have to meld the cards as follows:

Phase Combinations
1 2 sets of 3 cards
2 1 Run of 4 cards and 1 set of 3 cards
3 1 run of 7 cards
4 1 Set of 5 cards and 1 set of 2 cards
5 1 Run of 5 cards and 1 set of 3 cards
6 2 sets of 4 cards
7 Run of 8 cards
8 1 Run of 5 cards and 1 set of 2 cards
9 Run of 9 cards
10 1 Set of 5 cards and 1 set of 3 cards
11 1 run of 10 cards
  • You can make only 1 phase in each round.
  • If you are unable to make a Phase, on one hand, you have to try to make the same phase again on the next hand. Therefore, during the course of the game, different players will be working on different phases.
  • You must lay down the full phase and cannot lay down partly formed phases
  • You can lay down more than the basic requirements of a Phase. However, it must be such that the additional cards can be directly added to the cards in the Phase.
  • Phases have to be made in order and cannot be skipped. For example, you are trying to make Phase 3 (1 run of 7) and lay down a run of 9 cards. This qualifies for Phase 3. However, you cannot skip and claim it as phase 7.
  • You will receive credit for the Phase when you lay it.

Score as per Mexican rummy rules

  • The first person laying down all the cards (going out) is the winner.
  • The winner gets 0 points. Other players get points for the cards still in hand.
  • In the case of a tie in a phase, the person with the lowest score is the winner.
  • At the end of 11 phases, the player with the lowest score wins the Mexican rummy game.

The value of the cards-

  • Ace = 20 points
  • King, Queen, Jack & 10 = each have 10 points
  • 2- 9 = 5 points each

With this, our article on Mexican rummy comes to an end. There are more Indian card games that are equally popular.

GetMega Rummy is an amazing platform that lets you play rummy with friends & family with real money. Sounds fun, isn't it? Download the GetMega rummy app now!
Title Slug
What Are Different Types Of Rummy Games: Learn All Rummy Variants Here rummy-variants
What Is Dummy Rummy: Learn Its Meaning, Rules, And Scoring Here dummy-rummy
What Is Indian Rummy: Meaning, Setup, Rules, Gameplay And More indian-rummy
Question Answer
What is Mexican Rummy? Mexican Rummy, also known as "Combination Rummy," is a popular variation of the classic Rummy card game, played with 2-6 players.
How is it different from regular Rummy? Mexican Rummy uses more jokers and has specific meld combinations like "groups" (3 or 4 cards of the same rank) and "sequences" (3 or more cards in consecutive order of the same suit).
How are jokers used in Mexican Rummy? Mexican Rummy uses multiple jokers, which can substitute for any card. A player can use a joker in a meld but must replace it before their next turn.
What's the objective of Mexican Rummy? Players aim to form valid melds, meet specific meld requirements, and go out by eliminating all their cards while adhering to the game's meld and sequence rules.
When does the game end? The game ends when a player goes out by melding all their cards except one, which they discard. Other players then calculate their penalty points based on unmelded cards, and the player with the fewest points wins.
0

GET ₹3000 BONUS, Use Code: NEW400

poker
Poker
rummy
Rummy