Purpose of the game
Preparing for the game
Groups of chips
A "row" is a set of 3 or more consecutive numbers of the same color. For example: black 3,4,5 and 6. ATTENTION: the number 1 is the smallest number, and cannot be followed...
Purpose of the game
Be the first to discard all your chips onto the playing field.
Preparing for the game
Place all the tiles in the center of the playing field and mix well. Each player takes 1 chip. The player with the highest number starts. The game goes clockwise. Next, all the chips are returned to the playing field and again mixed well. Each player takes 14 chips and places them in a “group” or “row” on his stand. The remaining chips on the playing field are the game bank.
Groups of chips
A “group” is a set of 3 or 4 tiles with the same number, but different colors. For example: black 7, red 7, blue 7, orange 7.
A "row" is a set of 3 or more consecutive numbers of the same color. For example: black 3,4,5 and 6. NOTE: the number 1 is the smallest number and cannot follow the number 13.
A game
Players must place groups and rows of tiles totaling 30 or more (to do this, add all the numbers) as their first move. In the game this is called the first combination. If a player cannot make the first combination, he takes another chip from the bank and the turn passes to the next player. During the first combination, groups of tiles on the playing field cannot be moved or settled with tiles on the players' bases.
The time for making one move is limited to 1 minute. If the player fails to move the chips onto the playing field within a minute, they must be returned to their original position and the player receives 3 chips from the bank as a penalty. If there are extra chips on the playing field (and the players cannot remember where they were before), then they are returned to the game bank.
Movement
Movement is the most interesting part of playing Rummikub. Players try to place as many tiles on the playing field as possible, redistributing groups and rows or adding tiles to existing groups and rows on the playing field. Groups can be moved in many different ways. At the end of each round, only connected groups and rows should remain. There should be no separate pieces left on the playing field.
Joker
The joker may not be used until the first combination. It can be used to replace the chip with the desired digital and color value. The piece used to replace the Joker can be taken from either the player's stand or the game board. If a group of 3 chips is laid out on the table, the Joker can replace a chip of any missing color.
The Joker that has been replaced must be used by the player in the same round for a new group or row of tiles. Pieces can be added to the group containing the Joker, it can be divided, and pieces can be removed from it. If the Joker remains in hand at the end of the game, the player receives a penalty of -30 points.
Winner
The winner is the player who threw all the chips into the playing field ahead of everyone else. He can do this in 2 ways. The first one will collect the required number of rows and groups and drop them into the playing field. And second, when the bank runs out of chips, all players “play the game board”, placing one chip in the bank in turn until one of the players runs out of chips. He becomes the winner and must shout "Rummikub".
Scoring
After the player has thrown all the chips into the playing field and shouted “Rummikub”. The remaining players count the number of points on the chips remaining on the stands. Their result is the minus sum of all stacked chips. The winner receives the positive sum of all the points of the losers in this game. At the very end of the game, all players count up their positive and negative points, thus obtaining the final total of the game. The player who scores the maximum number of points in all rounds wins.
In order to check whether you have calculated the amounts correctly, the sum of positive points must always be equal to the sum of negative points of all players.
In rare cases where all the chips on the playing field are gone before the player shouts "Rummikub", the winner is the player with the fewest chips on the stand. Each of the losers counts the amount of the remaining chips and subtracts it from his total account. The winner adds up the players' negative total and adds the positive total to their total score.
Includes: 104 chips, 4 stands, stickers for chips, instructions.
Not recommended for children under 3 years of age. Contains small parts.
Made of plastic and polymer film.
Made in China.
Be the first to place all your chips on the playing field.
Groups of chips
- A “group” is a set of 3 or 4 tiles with the same number, but different colors. For example: black 7, red 7, blue 7, orange 7.
- A “row” is a set of 3 or more consecutive numbers of the same color. For example: black 3, 4, 5 and 6.
NOTE: The number 1 is the smallest number and cannot follow the number 13.
A game
Players must place groups and rows of tiles totaling 30 or more (to do this, add all the numbers) as their first move. If a player cannot make this move, he takes another chip from the bank and the turn passes to the next player. During the first turn, groups and rows cannot be moved or added from those remaining in the stand to those on the table. The time for making one move is limited to 1 minute. If the player fails to move the chips within a minute, they must be returned to their original position and the player receives 3 chips from the bank as a penalty. If there are chips left whose position cannot be remembered, they must be returned to the bank.
Moving
Moving the pieces is the most exciting part of the game. Players try to place as many tiles on the playing field as possible, redistributing groups and rows or adding tiles to existing groups and rows. Groups can be moved in many different ways (examples below). At the end of each round, only connected groups and rows should remain. There should be no separate pieces left on the playing field.
Joker
A joker from a group can be taken by a player who can replace it with a chip with the number and color needed in that group or row. The chip used to replace the Joker can be taken from either the player's stand or the chips on the table. If there is a group of 3 chips on the table, the joker can be replaced with a chip of any missing color.
If a player replaces the Joker with a piece, he must use the Joker during the same turn as a piece for a new group or row. The Joker cannot be used during the first turn. Pieces can be added to the group containing the Joker, it can be divided, and pieces can be removed from it. If the Joker remains in the player's stand at the end of the game, the player receives 30 penalty points.
Winner
The game continues until one player has used all his chips. The remaining players add up all the numbers on their chips (see “Scoring”). If the bank runs out of chips, players play "bank", placing one chip at a time in the bank until one of the players runs out of chips. If the remaining players cannot continue, the game ends.
Scoring
After one player has laid out all their chips, the remaining players add up the numbers on their remaining chips. The sum of the numbers for each losing player is a negative sum for each of them.
The sum of ALL players' numbers is the positive amount that the winner receives. After completing a series of games, each player adds up all of his negative and positive sums, thus obtaining a final score. The player with the most points wins.
In the rare event that the pot runs out of chips before one player has played out all of their chips, players take another extra turn. After this move, the player with the smallest amount of his remaining chips wins. Each losing player adds up all the numbers on his chips, and subtracts his result from the winner's total. The result will be a negative amount for that player. The sum of the results of the losing players is counted as a positive sum to the winner.
The magic of numbers has been exciting the great minds of mankind for many centuries. Respectable men, locked in their offices and surrounded by mathematical tables, calculate probabilities, come up with theorems and compile series. Numerical values have forever entered our daily lives; every day we use various indicators that affect our well-being, work and mood. Today on the Pink Sofa there is a compositional board game “Rummikub”.
In the world of board games, operations with numbers play a major role: mechanics are based on them, numbers are depicted on many components, and after the end of the game, the final scoring occurs. “Rummikub” is a bright representative of family board games with the mechanics of composing number chains. Let's lift the lid, which proudly displays: "A family game that will never get boring" and check whether this statement corresponds to the contents of the box.
Four plastic coasters with a company logo, a stack of chips and a sheet with the rules of the game. Unfortunately, there is no organizer, so when carrying it from the depths of the package there is a rumble that even the neighbors can hear.
The stand is comfortable and has a folding leg - before playing, you fold back the stand, place the structure on the table, and at the end of the game, return everything to its original position and put it away in the box. There is a separate cell for each chip; there is more than enough free space (28 cells) even in the event of “fatal bad luck.”
104 chips are cast from plastic, have a company logo and numbers pressed into the surface, filled with paint. The game uses four colors, each of which is represented by two sets with continuous numbering from “1” to “13”.
In addition to the numerical values, opponents can use two Jokers, with which they can replace any chip, while observing the basic rules.
I take one number, note another...
Before the game starts, determine the first player. This is not difficult to do: all the chips are mixed, the opponents draw out one plastic rectangle each - whoever has the higher numerical value starts the game.
The chips are shuffled again, then the opponents place 14 random chips on their stands (keep this information secret from your opponents). Note: the rules require initially grouping the numerical values on the stands into “rows” and “groups” (we do not do this, but sort the necessary chains directly during the game).
To enter the game, each player must fulfill a certain condition: place rows and chains on the table with a total of at least 30 points.
Let's look at the basic concepts adopted in Rummikub. A group is a set of three or four chips of the same value, but of different colors. A series is a chain of three or more consecutive numbers of the same color. "Groups" and "rows" can be modified into each other during gameplay.
So, on the first move, opponents are required to place groups and rows on the table with a total amount of more than 30 points, while the laid out chains cannot be modified. If this condition cannot be met, then the player takes an additional chip from the general bank and skips the move.
Gradually, many chains and rows will be laid out in the center of the table. Please note that all the chips on the table are common. On the second move the player begins to act...
The opponents' task is to get rid of all the chips on the stand as quickly as possible. To do this, you can add new chips to rows and chains, while you can split, move and modify them. For example, a player separates the blue “four” from the group and uses it to begin the number row. Please note: by the end of the player’s turn, all chains and rows must comply with the rules; there should be no individual chips (or pairs of chips).
Jokers replace any number in a row or group, and a player can take a joker from the table by exchanging it for his own chip of the corresponding value. There is a limitation - you must use the joker on the same move.
Nothing to post?! We take three chips from the common pile, place them on our stand and skip the move...
The game ends as soon as one of the players has used all of their chips. The lucky player takes a pencil and writes down the penalty points for each of the opponents with a “negative indicator”, adding up the numerical values remaining on their stands. Joker brings 30 penalty points! But that's not all - the winner adds up all the total sums of his opponents' negative points and writes the result on his piece of paper with a plus sign.
To determine the winner, three rounds are played, then all the points earned by the player are added up (both positive and negative values). The final result determines the unsurpassed master of number chains...
Grouping the rows.
A simple but exciting family game with its own nuances. At the very beginning, it’s quite difficult to get used to the fact that the chains you’ve laid out belong to all the players. You also constantly catch yourself thinking that you want to count the points you receive when compiling a row or group. No less original is the scoring at the end of the round - the worse the opponents played, the more points the winner has.
There is constant chaos in the center of the table, rows are transformed into groups, groups are separated and form chains... The more players, the more chaos, but the more interesting it is. Planning in the game is quite difficult - by the time the move reaches you in a circle, the situation may change several times. By the way, the developers recommend limiting the time for thinking about a move - they are absolutely right, since sometimes there are “a million” options and the player falls into a “lethargic sleep”. I strongly recommend that you listen to this recommendation and determine in advance the time allotted to each player to make a decision. An hourglass is perfect for this.
The rules are simple, but explained... with difficulty, so it is better to “show once than tell a hundred times.” The fact is that it is very difficult to explain without clear examples the possibilities of modifications of numerical chains, and this information is not perceived “by ear”. Otherwise, no problems, just make two or three moves, and “Rummikub” will seem familiar and familiar.
The game is perfect as an educational tool for children, and can also be a good puzzle for adults. There are many options for the development of events - most likely, you will not play a single identical game, even if you lay out “Rummikub” on the table every day.
A special timer is available for the game, which allows you to regulate the time allotted for thinking. I personally haven’t held it in my hands, but according to Evgeniy’s description, this is a very useful thing (thanks to him for the information).
The pictures are taken from the product card from Amazon.de.
The game was provided for review by the board game store "Igroved", whose sellers will provide qualified assistance in selecting and selecting the product you are interested in.
Rummikub (Rummi) is a non-standard game that vaguely resembles a whole range of entertainment. In this intricate set you will see things in common with, and in some moments you will suddenly remember and.
Description and features
Rummy is a board game that is over seventy years old. Her place of birth is Mandatory Palestine. It was there that the set was invented by the Romanian Jew Efriam Hertzano.
This happened in the early thirties of the twentieth century. The reason for the search for new entertainment was the ban by the authorities of ordinary playing cards, which were very popular among the local population.
The first set was created in the backyard for home use only. At that time, Ephraim could not even imagine that almost a hundred years later people all over the world would be happy to play these cards. Having received the approval of his loved ones, he offered the created set to a local board game store.
Rise in popularity
The seller accepted the set for testing and soon Rummikub was distributed throughout Palestine, becoming a favorite pastime of local residents. Several years passed before the Jewish family received the right to sell the game in other countries. Already in nineteen seventy-seven, the set was recognized as a bestseller in the United States of America.
Initially, the game was released in the form of cards, but over time, manufacturers realized that the chips would be much more practical. Inspired by Scrabble, the manufacturers added stands to the sets, which are convenient for placing chips on. It is worth noting that the set contains so-called Jokers (more details below), which is unusual for fans of games such as mahjong and chess.
Awards
During its existence, after recognition in 1877, the board game Rummikub was repeatedly awarded with prizes and awards.
- In 1980, the set was recognized as game of the year in Germany
- The same title was awarded to entertainment in Holland in the same year.
- In 1990, Spain named Rummikub Game of the Year
- Tabletop Entertainment of the Year in Poland 1993
- Received the Best Game 2005 award in South Korea.
What's in the set?
The Rummikub game is available in two variations: a standard version and a compact version in a metal box. In the set you will find:
- One hundred and six chips, of which one hundred and four are number chips and two are Joker chips. Digital chips have a value from one to thirteen. All of them are divided into four colors in two sets: red, orange, blue and black.
- Convenient stand for Scrabble-style chips.
- Rules with a detailed description of game mechanics
Preparing for the game
To start the game Rummikub, you need to complete the preparatory steps. For this:
- Remove all the tiles from the box and place them on a flat playing surface.
- Turn all the numbers face up and mix them thoroughly.
- Take turns taking one chip at a time without looking. The one who took the highest number becomes the First Player (the one who starts each turn).
- Place the chips you pulled earlier back on the table and mix everything again.
- All participants take turns picking up fourteen chips and placing them on a stand in front of them, forming rows and groups convenient for playing.
- Chips not taken by the players at the beginning become a bank and remain on the edge of the table. The center is cleared for the game itself.
Game progress and rules
The game Rummikub (Rummy) has an unusual, but actually quite simple mechanic. The set is designed for players from seven years old; it is not too difficult to understand how to play Rummy. Up to four people can participate in the entertainment at the same time (the number of sets of chips).
Combinations
In the board game Gin Rummy, you will come across concepts such as group and row. This is the name given to certain combinations of number chips. The combinations in Rummikub of the new versions do not differ from the standard ones.
- Group- the name of a set of three to four digital chips that have the same number but different colors. A group can be called four sevens, one of which will be black, the others red, blue and orange. If you have four, for example, fives in your hands and three of them have different colors, and one is similar to the other, then only three different colors are called a group.
- Row- the name of three or more chips of the same color that have a direct sequence. For example, next to each other you can name the chips from the first to the sixth blue.
To begin, players must place groups and rows so that their total is thirty or more. This will be considered the starting move. If neither the first player has the opportunity to set such a combination, he takes out an additional numerical chip from the general bank, and the move is passed to the participant clockwise.
First move
On the first turn, participants are not allowed to move numbers or add chips from their hand to the table. The whole game is against time: you can spend no more than a minute in one move. If during this period the player does not have time to place or move chips, then everything returns to the initial position, and the player takes three penalty chips from the bank. In the event that the player cannot remember how the numbers stood, these tokens are returned to the bank.
On each turn, participants try to put as many chips on the table as possible, swapping them between rows and groups. You can add chips to already set combinations.
At the end of each move, there must be correct groups and rows on the table, i.e. There cannot be only connected groups and rows of three or more chips or identical numbers of identical colors. There should also not be chips that do not belong to any group or row.
Joker
The joker, as in the case of card games, is considered to be any number chip. You can get it at the beginning of the game by taking it from the bank or replacing one already placed with the corresponding chip in a row or group.
To pick up a Joker that has already been placed on the table, you can use a chip from your arsenal or move any from an existing row or group.
The chip has restrictions on its move: it cannot be used when laying out the starting amount. When replacing the Joker with a chip, it must be played again in any other row or group.
In addition to adding to existing foundations, you can start a new one. When at the end of the game one of the participants has a Joker on his hand, he receives penalty points in the amount of thirty points, so try not to keep him on the stand.
Winner
The game is considered completed when one of the participants has no rumi chips left. All players who have numbers left on the stand count their total. The joker corresponds to thirty points.
If the bank runs out of chips, and all players still have a “full” hand, then all participants add chips to the bank in turn. The one who is the first to get rid of all the chips in this way becomes the winner of this game.
Scoring
Newbies to this game often have a question: why count points if the winner of the game is determined by the lack of chips? It's simple: it's common to play Rummikub several times in a row, like poker. For each game, scores are tallied and entered into a table to ultimately determine the winner of the series of games.
At the end of the game, participants count the amount of chips they have remaining. The negative number of points scored is recorded in the table for each person, and the sum of the chips of all participants is added to the winner. Even if the gap in the first horse seems insurmountable, the winner in the end may not be the one who won the first “race.”
Review of the board game "Rummikub"
Game history
The board game "Rummikub" was invented in the 30s of the last century in Palestine by the Romanian settler Ephraim Hertzano. It can be called a simplified version of the old Chinese game Mahjong. Some of its elements are similar to the usual “Scrabble” (also known in the post-Soviet space as “Scrabble”), some are taken from playing cards and other games.
It is curious that the main incentive for the creation of this game was the official ban on playing cards by the authorities. And indeed, if you look closely, you can draw parallels between these games, which at first glance are completely different. Playing chips and cards in both cases have numerical values (with the exception of queen, jack and king) and are divided by suit (or color, if you prefer).
Moreover, armed with two decks of ordinary playing cards, you can while away the evening with friends playing Rummikub. You just need to assign numerical values to the portrait cards. Only this option has its “buts”. Firstly, not everyone approves of playing cards, especially in children's hands. And secondly, even the usual classic “Rummikub” requires a rather large playing field. And it significantly increases in size with the use of cards that significantly exceed the chips in size.
Kit Contents
The total number of chips (cards) is 106 pieces, of which 2 are jokers. The 104 chips in the set are divided into four colors - black, red, blue and orange. Each color has two sets of numbers from 1 to 13. Also included are four convenient plastic stands.
The chips are made of high-quality matte ivory-colored plastic, very pleasant to the touch. The stands are made of black plastic and are decorated with an inscription on the back side with the name of the game. The set looks solid, there is no feeling of cheapness, the materials are odorless. Thus, “Rummikub” is perfect as a gift for both children and adults.
Nature of the game
The course of this game depends on the mood of the players themselves. It can either be calm and measured, or it can develop into a tense confrontation between enemy tactics.
On the one hand, Rummikub is a family game that will interest even the little ones. The instructions for the “adult” version indicate the age of players from eight years and older, but there are also children’s editions designed for children from 3 to 7 years old (we’ll talk about them later). Although, in my opinion, even its classic version is suitable for younger children who already know how to count. In addition, this board game can serve as a kind of catalyst for quickly teaching a child numbers, developing his logic and mathematical talents.
And what is important, the game is quite peaceful - the spirit of competition is present, but it is weakly expressed. There is no need to take your opponent's pieces, as in chess, or take away your opponent's cities and roads, as in the game Carcassonne. The loser can only blame the quirks of fortune and mistakes in his own calculations. This is why Rummikub is great for spending time with children - losing is not taken to heart, and the fun is not overshadowed by grief.
On the other hand, if desired, opponents have every opportunity to test the strength of their own intellect. It is not entirely correct to compare it with chess, but Rummikub, like one of the oldest board games, can be played with all seriousness, calculating moves and creating various combinations.
Preparing for the game
At the beginning of the game, we place all the chips face down on the table. You can, however, leave them in the box, or even better, use a bag and pull cards out of it one by one. It’s a shame that the game’s creators didn’t foresee such a detail; it would have been very helpful.
Then we determine who starts the game: everyone draws one chip and the one who got the largest number will be the first to make his move. Each player then takes 14 pieces and places them on their stand.
Rummikub uses terms such as "group" and "series". A group means a set of three or four chips with the same value, but different colors. For example, three sevens (red, black, orange). In this case, the color should not be repeated, that is, it cannot be that one card is red and the other two are orange. A series is a set of three or more chips of the same color that make up a numerical sequence. For example, red 5-6-7, black 8-9-10-11-12. When composing a sequence, you cannot add 13 to 1, that is, for example, 12-13-1-2 is not allowed.
Before the start of the round, it is also useful for each player to first divide the taken chips on his stand into groups (the same values of different colors) and series (sequences of numbers of the same color), ordering future possible combinations.
Game process
A move in Rummikub looks like this: the player forms combinations on the playing field, laying out at least one of his chips. If there is no suitable combination, then the player skips his turn, drawing “as punishment” a card from the bank, which he can use no earlier than the next time it is his turn. The goal of the game is to place all your chips on the playing field as quickly as possible.
To enter the game, everyone taking part in it must place groups and series on the playing field, the total sum of the numbers of which is more than 30 points. This number is not as large as it seems - just a couple of combinations like 7-7-7 and 2-3-4 will open your way further. Usually no one stays long at the very beginning. If at first there are still no suitable combinations, then the player continues to draw chips until he collects the necessary set to enter the game.
The instructions for the game suggest that you adhere to the time limits - no more than a minute is given for each move, and those who hesitate will face penalties in the form of taking three chips from the general bank. Whether or not to use such rules is up to you. On my own behalf, I would like to add that during the game I did not have to resort to such restrictions, since usually players make decisions quite quickly, and the clock on the table interferes with the smooth flow of the gameplay.
The game ends when one of the players has no chips left, or continues until the total bank is completely empty.
At the end of the round, points are counted: the numbers from the chips remaining on the players' stands are summed up - the fewer, the better! The losers record their results in calculations with a minus sign, and the winner (if there is one) receives the sum of the points of all other players with a plus sign as a reward. Such calculations are carried out if you play several rounds and later want to determine the final winner. For example, if at the end of the game the players have 20, 25, 30 points left in their hands, then they write down the received points as a liability and start the round with negative amounts. The winner receives (20+25+30) +75 points to his asset.
Combinations
The most interesting part of playing Rummikub is forming new groups and series by “shuffling” the combinations already on the table and adding chips from your own set to them. This is much more difficult to explain in words than it is to show, but I will give a couple of examples here.
Firstly, all previously laid out combinations can be supplemented. For example, to 7-7-7 you need to add the “seven” of the missing color, and the new combination is ready! Or add “five” to the row 2-3-4. In one move, you can place as many chips as you like on the table, as long as they fit into the already laid out combinations.
Secondly, all available combinations can be divided and then supplemented. For example, we will divide the series 8-9-10 into 8 and 9-10. Then we will add chips from our bank, making a group of three “eights” and a series of the sequence 9-10-11.
A series can also be split, creating two independent new sequences. So, for example, we have a long combination of 4-5-6-7-8-9 on the table and a “seven” of the same color in our bank. We split the series into two: 4-5-6 and 7-8-9. Then we add our chip and end up with 4-5-6-7 and 7-8-9.
These are a few of the simplest manipulations that can be alternated, radically changing the “map” of the playing field.
Joker is a different story. There are two jokers in the game, and each of them can replace any chip. Moreover, during manipulations with the division and addition of combinations, it can be released from the combination already on the table and used as a “universal” chip during the same move.
Varieties of the game
In addition to the familiar numerical “Rummikub”, there is also its “letter” variety. As many have probably guessed, this is good old Scrabble in a new guise. This version of the game is presented on the market with both Latin and Cyrillic letters. On my own behalf, I would like to add that “Rummikub with letters” is a wonderful help for learning the vocabulary of a foreign language. As you play, you will recall the spelling of recently learned words and quietly expand your vocabulary.
"Rummi"- another version of the classic “Rummikuba”, differing from the latter only in appearance. The design of this version of the game is reminiscent of its “card” roots - on the chips, in addition to numbers, there are also four suits. There are also kings, queens, jacks and aces - a kind of deck of cards transformed into playing chips.
Rummikub Xpress is a small portable board game created by merging Rummikub and dice. It consists of 18 dice and a special box for mixing them. The dice have sets of numbers in four colors, and there are two jokers. Unfortunately, as the size of the game decreased, the number of players also decreased - the board is recommended for two people.
"Rummikub Junior"- a board game designed for children from 3 to 7 years old. It differs from the “adult” version in the number of playing chips. There are only 40 of them, divided into four sets of 10 cards of different colors. There are two jokers and two additional King of Rummikuba cards.
Conclusion
Finally, I would like to note that the modern board game market offers a great variety of both full-size and portable versions of this wonderful game. Moreover, there are also electronic analogues. Whichever version you choose, you are guaranteed to have many hours of enjoyable time with your family or friends with Rummikub.