500 Rummy
AMERICAN VARIANT OF THE RUMMY CARD-GAME FAMILY (early 20th century) — the primary ANCESTOR of MODERN CANASTA. Players draw + meld sets/runs, laying off cards on their + opponents' melds. Signature: SCORE MELDS WHEN LAID DOWN (not at hand's end); take discards from anywhere in the DISCARD PILE (as long as you can meld top-taken card); first to 500 points wins. Played 2-8 players; popular in USA + Britain mid-20th century.
Quick facts
Category
Card Games
Type
Individual
Players
2–8
Duration
~60 min
Where played
indoor
Country of origin
🇺🇸 United States
Estimated origin
Codified USA early 1900s; ancestor of Canasta (1939 Uruguay); still played traditionally
Olympic
No
Popularity
regional
How it works
Objective
Reach 500 points via melded sets + runs; lay off cards on melds for continued scoring.
Rules
Basic rules
Deal 7 cards each (10 for 2-player); rest = stock; top card starts DISCARD PILE
Standard deal.
Each turn: DRAW 1 card from stock OR TAKE from discard pile (top card + all cards below top-taken card must be melded immediately)
Signature multi-card discard-pile take.
MELD: set of 3+ same rank OR RUN of 3+ same suit consecutive
Standard rummy melds.
LAY OFF: add cards to your own OR opponents' existing melds (still scores for you)
Signature lay-off to opponents.
SCORING: melds score IMMEDIATELY when laid; cards left in hand at hand end DEDUCT from score
Signature immediate scoring + penalty.
END: player empties hand OR stock runs out; hand ends + scores tallied
Standard hand end.
GAME: first player to reach +500 total across hands wins
Signature 500-point target.
Scoring
Melds score when laid; cards left in hand deducted at hand end; first to 500 wins.
| Action | Points |
|---|---|
| A meld | 15 |
| K,Q,J,10 meld | 10 each |
| 9-2 meld | 5 each |
| Cards left in hand at hand end (penalty) | Deducted at above values |
Win condition · First to reach 500 points total.
Equipment
Standard 52-card deck (2 decks if 6+ players)
Standard cards
Score pad
Running score to 500
Terminology
- Meld
- Set (3+ same rank) or Run (3+ suit-consecutive).
- Lay off
- Add cards to existing melds (yours or opponents').
- Discard pile take
- Signature: take multiple cards from discard pile if you can meld top-taken.
- 500
- The target score to win.
- Canasta
- Descendant game (invented 1939 Uruguay) with 500 Rummy roots + special wildcards + point-thresholds.
Where it is played
Sources & provenance
- Wikipedia — 500 rum— Wikipedia
- Pagat card game rules — 500 rum— Pagat