Deuces Aren't Wild

A variation of 3-13 Rummy, contributed by Jared Mellentine

Deuces Aren't Wild is a 12-round (with a possible bonus round) game played by two or three players. Deuces Aren't Wild requires one deck of cards with two jokers (54 cards). Like other Rummy games, once the hands are dealt, the remainder of the cards are placed face down on the table. The top card from the deck is flipped face up and put beside the deck to start the discard pile.

Dealing

The first dealer, chosen at random, deals three cards to each player. In each successive round, the deal passes to the left. In the second round, the dealer deals four cards to each player. With each successive round, the number of cards dealt to start the round increases by one until the 12th and final round in which fourteen cards each are dealt.

Playing

The player to dealer's left is the first to play, and the play moves clockwise. When it is his turn, a player draws one of two cards. He can draw the top card from the discard pile or the top card from the top of the deck. Then the player must discard one card from his hand and place that card on top of the discard pile to conclude his turn.

Objective

The object of Deuces Aren't Wild is to meld all the cards in your hand into sets. There are two kinds of set. The first type of set consists of three or more cards of the same rank, such as 4-4-4. The second type of set consists of a sequence of three or more cards of the same suit, such as 4-5-6 of Hearts. Sets can contain more than three cards. but you cannot include the same card in multiple sets. Once a player is able to meld all of his cards into sets, he "goes out". He must knock on the table to signal his ability to go out and discard. The remaining players are given one more draw to better their hands. All players are able to group their cards into sets to minimize the number of points they score for the round. The winner of a game of "Deuces Aren't Wild" is the player who, at the end of the final round, has accumulated the fewest points.

Aces rank high or low in this game, so A-2-3 and Q-K-A are both valid sequences.

Bonus Round

If - at the end of a game of Deuces Aren't Wild - the score is tied between two or more players, those players may opt to play a bonus round to decide a clear winner. This round is played similarly to the other rounds with a few exceptions.

1. Players are dealt 2 cards
2. There are no wild cards (other than jokers)
3. Sets can contain only two cards (4-4 or 3-4 of hearts)
After each round, the winner keeps a card from his winning hand (for scoring) and the remaining cards used in play (players' hands and discard pile) are removed. A new hand starts with the remaining cards in the deck.
4. Play continues until there are not enough cards to deal a round. If the deck runs out of cards at any point (during a round, after a round or after a player has melded), the bonus game is over.
5. The player with the most scoring cards at the end of play is declared the clear winner. If the score is tied, the deck is reshuffled and play resumes until a clear winner is decided.

Wild Cards

In each round there is a designated wild card. The wild card is the card equal to the number of cards dealt. For example, in the first round, three cards are dealt, so Threes are wild cards. Above 10, the wild card are Jacks (for 11 cards), Queens (for 12), Kings (for 13) and Aces (for 14). Wild cards can be used in place of any other card in making a group or sequence (regardless of suit). A player can any amount of wild cards in each set.

Scoring

At the end of a given round, each of a player's cards that cannot be placed into a set counts towards his score.

• Deuces - Nines score one point
• Tens - Kings score two points
• Aces score 3 points
• Jokers score five points

Any wild cards that remain unused in a player's hand at the conclusion of a round count at value listed above.

Variations

According to some rules, a player must use at least two non-wild cards for any set where a wild card is used. With that rule in effect, a player can use a wild card as a non-wild card, if desired.

Deuces Aren't Wild may be played with more than three players, but requires multiple decks. All rules remain the same.

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