Rummy Odyssey (Straight Rummy) is a two to four player game using one standard deck of 52 cards.

The aim of the game is to score more points than your opponents. The winner of the game is the player whose score first reaches or exceeds the win target (see Settings).

At the end of each hand, points are scored by the winner of that hand. A player wins either by getting rid of all of their cards, or by having the lowest deadwood score when the stock pile is depleted if playing ‘Block Rummy’. Deadwood is the sum of the card values in a player’s hand. A meld is three or more cards in a set (cards of the same kind) or run (consecutive cards of the same suit). Face cards are worth 10 points and all other cards are worth their value.

The initial dealer is chosen at random and then moves clockwise around the players for each hand. 10 cards are dealt to each player if playing with two players, and seven if playing with three or four. The next card is placed face up next to the deck.

The player to the dealer’s left is the first player to act. They must decide whether to pick up either the face up card on the discard pile or the face down card from the top of the stock. Once a player has picked up, they can either lay a meld face up on the table (if they want to and are able), lay off a valid card to an existing meld on the table, or discard a card to the discard pile to end their turn. The card discarded from a player’s hand is placed face up next to the deck. The decision to take and discard cards is based upon minimising your deadwood score by maximising the number of cards included in melds. Play continues until a player gets rid of all their cards, the stock pile has been depleted twice (in stock reset or shuffle - see settings) or once if playing Block Rummy. If the stock pile is depleted twice during reset or shuffle games, the round is declared a draw and no player scores points.

After a player picks up a card, they may lay melds down on the table. If a player has 3 or more cards of the same suit that are connected (a run) or 3 or more cards of the same value (a set), they may choose to lay them down on the table. Melds that are face up on the table are free for any player to lay off onto when it is their turn to do so. A player may make as many melds as they wish during their turn.

After a player picks up a card, they may lay cards off to the table melds if they are able. Any card adding to a set or a run is valid. Players may lay off as many cards as they wish during their turn.

At the end of each hand only the winner(s) score points. Points are awarded as follows, and are summed:

The winner receives points amounting to the difference between their deadwood and that of the other players (zero if both players have the same deadwood score) combined.

Rummy bonus: If the person who wins has gotten rid of all their cards in one turn, they receive double the points.

Choose from the following settings (defaults shown in italics):

Sound: On, off.

Speed: Normal, fast.

Orientation: Portrait, landscape left, landscape right or landscape free.

Meld sort: Right, left.

Single click play: On, off. When off, you must first select the card you wish to play, and then click/tap on the selected card to play it

AI level: Easy, hard.

Stock reset: Reset, shuffle or Block Rummy. This affects what happens when the stock pile is depleted. In reset, the discard pile is turned over to form the new stock. In shuffle, the discards are shuffled and then turned over to form the new stock. In both reset and shuffle, if the stock pile is depleted for a second time, the round is declared a draw and no points are awarded. In Block Rummy, once the stock is depleted, the round ends and the player(s) with the lowest deadwood value win the round.

Rummy bonus: On, off. A player is awarded double their round score if they manage to get rid of all their cards in one turn.

Meld before laying off: Off, on. When on, players must lay down a valid meld during a round before they can lay off to the table melds.

Win Target: 200 or 500.

Number of players: 2, 3 or 4.

Cards: Classic, coppercod or modern.

Deck: Choose from 18 different deck designs for the coppercod cards, 16 for modern.

Mobile cards: Mobile cards are thinner with larger numbers (only available with the coppercod or classic deck).

Home screen:

From the home screen you can access the following options:

• Start new game
• Continue game: if there is a game in progress it can be continued
• Settings (cog icon, bottom left)
• How to Play (question mark icon, bottom right)
• Stats (trophy icon, top left)
• Sound: Tap the speaker icon at the top right of the home screen to toggle between sound on and off

Your cards are displayed face up at the bottom of the screen and your opponent’s cards are face down at the top, left and right of the screen. Your cards are ordered low to high from left to right. If you have more than one of the same value of card, the suit order is Diamonds, Spades, Hearts, Clubs from left to right. Your opponent’s cards are ordered at random. Valid meld or layoff cards are moved to the right and placed slightly below other cards. If cards can be melded in more than one way, the combination that creates the least deadwood is chosen, but it does not impact what you choose to meld or lay off.

During play, each player’s score for the game is shown at the top of the screen and your deadwood score is shown above your hand. A green light is displayed next to your score if it is your turn to act, or red if it is not. Seen, Meld and Discard buttons are shown at appropriate points in the game when it is your turn to act.

On your turn, tap either the face up card next to the deck or the face down card on the deck as appropriate. To discard a card, tap that card in your hand and it will rise above the rest. This selection can be confirmed by tapping that card again or changed by tapping a different card. If any tapped card bounces, it is because you are attempting an invalid move. In single click play, you can discard a card with just one tap.

If you have valid cards for melding or laying off, you must confirm where you want to play a selected card. If you are laying down a meld, you must select all of the cards you want to include, then hit the ‘meld’ button. If you are laying off, you must select one card to layoff at once, and tap either a card in the meld you want to lay off onto, or the meld button to do it automatically. If a card can be laid off onto more than one meld, then tapping the button will choose the first valid meld, so it is better to select the meld manually for accuracy. You may discard a card in this mode by selecting one card and tapping the discard button.

If more than one card can be laid off onto a table meld, you must still do them one at a time.

When a player goes out, the opponent’s hands are displayed face up on the table and the points value of their deadwood is revealed. After a short time, the scoreboard is displayed with the round winner’s scores, and then the total scores for the game. From here you can choose Continue or Home (this ends the current hand). When a player exceeds the win target (see Settings) a trophy is displayed next to their score and the game ends. From here you can choose New game or Home.

Coppercod thanks you for playing Rummy Odyssey!