Okey
Officially Okey (Turkish Rummy)
Turkish 4-player tile-based rummy game using 106 numbered tiles (1-13 in 4 colors + 2 jokers) — form runs + sets to be first to complete hand. National pastime in Türkiye; wildly popular online + in coffeehouses.
What is Okey?
Okey is a Turkish 4-player tile-based rummy game — considered a Turkish national pastime alongside tavla (backgammon). Uses a 106-tile set: numbers 1-13 in 4 colors (red, yellow, black, blue) — 2 copies each = 104 tiles + 2 jokers ('sahte okey'). Each player receives 14 or 15 tiles; players form runs (sequential same-color) + sets (same-number different-color) of 3+ tiles. First player to declare all tiles arranged in valid runs/sets wins. Distinctive rule: the 'gösterge' (indicator) tile flipped at start determines which tile becomes the 'okey' (wildcard) — the tile one higher than gösterge. Two jokers can also substitute. Variants include Ikili Okey (2v2 partnership) + Çanak Okey (bowl okey with betting). Online platforms Mynet Okey + OKEY.com have millions of daily players in Türkiye. Related to Romanian rummy + international rummy family; distinct branding + rules.
Quick facts
Category
Tile Games
Type
Mixed
Players
2–4
Duration
~30 min
Where played
indoor
Country of origin
🇹🇷 Türkiye
Estimated origin
Emerged mid-20th century in Türkiye; possibly evolved from Rummikub-family; national pastime by 1980s
Olympic
No
Popularity
regional
How it works
Objective
Be first to arrange all tiles into valid runs (sequential same-color) + sets (same-number different-color) of 3+ tiles.
Match structure
Multi-hand session; winner of each hand scores points; overall winner by cumulative score.
Rules
Basic rules
14/15-tile hand
Each player draws 14 tiles (dealer 15) at start.
Draw + discard turn
Player draws 1 tile from bag or previous discard, then discards 1 to their right.
Runs + sets of 3+ tiles
Form same-color sequential runs (5-6-7 red) or same-number different-color sets (7-red, 7-yellow, 7-black).
First to arrange all tiles wins hand
Declare 'Okey!' when all tiles arranged in valid runs + sets.
Advanced rules
Gösterge + Okey (wildcard)
Gösterge tile flipped at start; tile one higher = 'okey' wildcard (substitutes any tile).
2 jokers substitute
2 physical jokers in set also substitute; harder to remove.
Çanak (bowl) betting variant
Betting variant where each hand's winner takes pot; popular in coffeehouses.
Scoring
Winner scores; losers penalised by tiles remaining. Detailed rules vary regionally.
| Action | Points |
|---|---|
| Hand win | Winner scores; often 2 pts. Losers penalised for un-declared tiles. |
Win condition · First to arrange all tiles in valid runs + sets wins hand.
Equipment
106-tile Okey set
1-13 in 4 colors × 2 copies + 2 jokers = 106 tiles; typically plastic or wood.
4 tile racks
Each player has personal rack to hold tiles concealed.
Tile-bag
Central bag for drawing + discarding tiles.
Positions & roles
Okey Player
×1Solo player forming tile combinations to win hand.
Officiating
No formal officials.
- Group consensus
Penalties & fouls
Penalties
Un-declared tiles at hand end
Losers penalised for un-declared tiles (each tile = 1 pt against).
Wrong declaration
Invalidated + penalty per house rules.
Strategies
Save okey wildcards for closing
Use okey/jokers to complete last elusive combination when close to declaring.
Read opponent's discards for hand shape
Opponent discards reveal which colors/numbers they don't need — infer their hand shape.
Aggressive discarding vs holding
Balance discarding tiles that opponents might need vs. holding for own combos.
Terminology
- Gösterge
- Indicator tile at start
- Okey
- Wildcard tile (one higher than gösterge) or 'declared victory' call
- Sahte Okey
- Physical joker tiles
- Çanak
- Bowl / betting variant
- El
- Turkish for 'hand' (game round)
Major competitions
Turkish Okey Championship (Mynet Okey, ÇANAK Okey Turnuvası)
annual (online + live) · Türkiye · since 2000
Where it is played
Governing bodies
Türkiye Okey Federasyonu (informal)
Founded 2005 · Türkiye
Famous names & records
Famous athletes
- Top Mynet Okey players; not centrally tracked.
Records
Turkish national pastime
Türkiye — Considered one of Türkiye's two most-played national games (with tavla) (1980)
Mynet Okey online dominance
Mynet — Mynet Okey (mynet.com) — largest online Okey platform, millions of daily active players in Türkiye (2000)
Learn this sport
beginner
- 1
Basic 4-player game
Learn draw + discard + basic runs + sets.
intermediate
- 1
Okey wildcard tactics + partnership Ikili
Learn wildcard timing + 2v2 partnership signaling.
advanced
- 1
Çanak betting variant + tournament play
Advanced tournament strategy + betting tactics.
Frequently asked
How does Okey differ from Rummikub?+
Similar tile-rummy family. Okey uses 106 Turkish-branded tiles + concealed rack; Rummikub uses 106 tiles too but with different rules (initial-30 pts to open, table pool of shared combinations). Different flavor + regional prevalence (Okey = Türkiye; Rummikub = Israel/international).
Can Okey be played online?+
Yes — Mynet Okey + OKEY.com + similar Turkish platforms host millions of daily online games. International players can join too though most content is Turkish-language.
Sources & provenance
- Wikipedia — Okey— Wikipedia