500 Rum, also called Pinochle Rummy or Michigan Rummy, is a popular variant of rummy. The game of Canasta and several other games developed from this popular form of rummy. The distinctive feature of 500 Rum is that each player scores the value of the sets he melds.
500 Rum may be played by anywhere from 2 to 8 people, but it is best played with 3 to 5 players.
500 Rum is played using a standard 52-card pack. When playing with more than 4 players, a double pack should be substituted.
An ace counts as 15 points whenever it is played. Face cards count as 10 points each. Other cards count their pip value. Some people play where A-9 are 5 points, unless the ace is used high, when it is 15.
The players draw for deal, low dealing first. Ace is the lowest card in the draw. The dealer shuffles, and the player to the right cuts. The dealer completes the cut and deals 10 cards to each player and an 11th to the player to the left who discards. The player to the left of the dealer becomes...
