Rummy has long been played and loved by people who enjoy the game and prefer it as their favorite pastime. With the advent of technology, rummy can also be played digitally and has become even more convenient. Another reason behind the immense love that this online game receives from people is the fact that rummy has many variations and can be played in different forms. This quality of the card game makes it break the monotony. It also makes the game interesting, exciting, and convenient depending upon the number of players, cards, and time. The two famous rummy variants are 13 card game rummy and 21 card game rummy. While both of these rummy variants have their own fun and thrill, both of them have their respective methods and rules to play. While both 13 card game rummy and 21 card game rummy are different from each other in different ways, the two games also find certain similarities. Let’s dig deep into these two different variants of the rummy card game.

13 card rummy finds traces of two other card games, namely Rummy 500 and Gin Rummy, and is also widely known as the Indian rummy game. In contrast, the 21 card rummy game finds many similarities with Points Rummy.

Similarities between 13 Cards Rummy and 21 Cards Rummy

Let us look at the similarities between the variants of the rummy card game before we dig deep into the differences between the two. Firstly, both the 13 cards rummy game and the 21 cards rummy game need players to form valid sets and sequences (pure or impure). Secondly, the Joker cards act as the alternatives to the missing cards required for making a valid set or sequence in both variants of the rummy card game.

Differences between the two variants

Following are the differences between the 13 cards rummy and the 21 cards rummy online.

Number of cards and the time duration

As it is quite evident from the names, the key difference between the two variants of the rummy card game is the number of cards used in both games. While the 13 card rummy game involves 13 cards, the 21 card rummy game involves 21 cards. Hence, this is quite evident that the 13 card rummy game demands lesser players’ time compared to the 21 card rummy game. 

Ease of playing

While the difficulty level of both the variants of a rummy card game is a very subjective topic, especially for the pros who like to brainstorm in the game as much as they go deeper into it, for the beginners, the ease or difficulty can definitely be discussed. As the number of cards involved in the 13 card rummy game is lesser than the 21 card rummy game, it can clearly be stated that melding in the 13 card variant is easier than the 21 card variant. Hence, the 21 card rummy game becomes more challenging for the players.

Number of decks involved

As already mentioned, the 21 card rummy game needs more cards, and this rummy variant involves three decks of cards. On the other hand, the 13 card variant needs two decks of cards. Hence the 21 card variant gets more strategic and tactical than the 12 card variant of rummy.

Rummy Rules for both the variants

While the basic rules in the 13 card rummy games and the 21 card rummy game are almost similar, some of them are different. In the 13 card variant, a player creates one valid pure sequence with an impure supported sequence and can arrange the remaining cards into their choice sequences. However, in the 21 card variant, a minimum of two pure sequences need to be created by the player, making it a slightly difficult variant for the rummy players

Value cards 

The 13 cards rummy game doesn’t have any value cards. But the 21 cards rummy game has the value cards along with the joker cards that act the same way as jokers but with some additional advantages. For instance, if a player chooses 4 of diamonds as the  Joker card, then 3 and 5 of diamonds become the value cards for that game. All three, when grouped together, produce a pure sequence. Hence, 21 cards rummy game has joker cards as well as value cards to take the place of missing cards to form sequences and sets.

Penalty

In the 13 cards variant of rummy, the initial drop gets a penalty of 10 points and a middle drop of 30 points. In case of an invalid declaration, the player gets a penalty of 80 points. Furthermore, the player is dropped from the game if he/she misses three or more of his consecutive turns.

In the 21 points rummy, the penalty of 30 points is given in case of an initial drop, and a  penalty of 60 points along with the value card points is given in case of the middle drop. A penalty of 120 points + value card points is given in case of an invalid declaration. The same penalty, i.e., 120 points + value card points, is given if the player decides to exit the room in the middle of a hand. If the player misses three consecutive terms, he/she is given a penalty of full hand.

So, download the rummy app from Rummy Bo and enjoy the online gaming experience.