Welcome to Indonesian Remi! It’s a fun card game that can be played by 2 to 4 players. The goal is to earn enough points to win before your opponents do.
Before we begin, let’s decide on the final score that we’re aiming for.
Getting Started
To start, we need to choose a dealer. This can be done randomly or given to the player with the lowest score. The dealer shuffles the deck and deals each player 7 cards.
The remaining cards are placed face-down to create a stockpile.
Card Ranks, Points, and Melds
Here’s how the cards are ranked: Ace (high), King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, and 2 (low).
In this card game, each card has a value for scoring. Cards numbered 2 through 10 are worth 5 points each. The face cards – Jacks, Queens, and Kings – are worth 10 points each, and Aces are worth 15 points.
Now, let’s talk about how melds work in this game. Melds are divided into two categories: sets and sequences. Sets are pretty straightforward – they consist of 3 or more cards of the same rank.
Sequences, however, have a few more rules. To form a sequence, you need to have 3 or more cards of consecutive rank, all in the same suit. But there’s a catch: sequences can only contain either numbered cards from 2 to 10 or face cards – Jack, Queen, and King. You can’t mix both types. And here’s another rule: Aces can’t be used in sequences at all.
In this particular game, you have to complete a legal sequence before you can place any set melds on the table.
Once I place melds on the table in the game of Melds, I can’t add more to them. There’s no laying off cards, and I can’t reuse them in other melds. Once a card goes into a meld on the table, it stays there until we finish scoring.
Let’s Play!
The dealer goes first, and then we take turns clockwise. When it’s my turn, I have two options: I can draw a card from the top of the stockpile or from the discard pile, if that’s possible. After I draw, I can play any melds and then I have to discard a card.
If I choose to draw from the stockpile, I can always take the top card. I add it to my hand, and my turn to draw is done. However, if I want to draw from the discard pile, there are some rules I must follow.
When it’s my turn to play, I have a choice. I can draw a card from the discard pile, but there are some rules I have to follow. First, I can only draw one of the top three cards. Second, I can only draw if I can use that card to make a meld with the ones in my hand. But there’s a catch – I can’t make a set until I have a legal sequence. So if I draw a card and it helps me make a meld, great! But if I draw the second or third card in the pile, I have to take all the cards above it too.
Once I’ve drawn a card, I must use that specific card to make my meld. I can’t use any other cards. It’s important to remember that I can only draw from the discard pile if I still have a card to discard at the end of my turn.
After I’ve drawn my card, I can choose to play a meld onto the table. This means I put down some cards that make a sequence or a set. But here’s the thing – once I’ve played my meld, I can’t add any more cards to it. So I better choose wisely. And I always need to make sure I have a card to discard by the end of my turn.
When you play the game, you’ll have to get rid of one card by putting it in the discard pile. If this is the only card left in your hand, the game will end. We call the last card you discard a “closing card,” and certain closing cards can earn you extra points.
The round can also end if there are no more cards left in the stockpile, and the next player chooses not to or cannot draw a card from the discard pile.
SCORING
Scoring happens after the round is finished.
All players add up the points for the melds they completed, and then subtract any points for the cards left in their hands.
If you were the one who ended the round, you get extra points for your closing card. It’s worth ten times the value of the card you used to close the round.
END OF GAME
The game comes to an end when a player reaches or goes over the total number of points needed to win. That player is the winner.