About Rummy 500 Rules for 2 Players
Deal 13 cards each instead of 7 and use one 52-card deck. Everything else is the same as with more players: draw from the stock or the discard pile, meld or lay off, then discard. The first player to reach 500 points across several hands wins.
By the ToolFluency team · Updated October 2026
Rummy 500, also called 500 Rum, is a rummy game for 2 to 8 players (best with 3 to 5) played with a standard 52-card deck, or two decks for 5 or more. With 2 players each player gets 13 cards; with 3 or more, 7 cards each. You score points for every set and run you lay down and every card you lay off, you lose points for cards left in your hand, and you can take cards from anywhere in the discard pile. The first player to reach 500 points across several hands wins, which takes about 30 to 60 minutes. The full printable rules sheet with card diagrams is on this page. Print it or save it as a PDF. Looking for the trick-taking card game Five Hundred? See 500 card game rules.
How to play Rummy 500
- Deal: deal 13 cards each with 2 players, or 7 cards each with 3 or more. Put the rest face down as the stock and turn the top card face up to start the discard pile. Spread the discard pile as it grows so every card stays visible.
- Draw: on your turn, take the top card of the stock or one or more cards from the discard pile.
- Reach into the discard pile: you may take any card in the pile, not just the top one, but you must use that card in a meld or lay-off on the same turn and also pick up every card above it.
- Meld: lay down any sets (3 or 4 cards of the same rank) or runs (3 or more cards in a row in the same suit) face up in front of you. The Ace can be high or low, but K-A-2 is not a legal run.
- Lay off: add cards from your hand to any meld on the table, yours or an opponent's. Laid-off cards go in front of you and score for you.
- Discard: end your turn by placing one card face up on the discard pile, leaving earlier discards visible.
- Score the hand: the hand ends as soon as someone plays their last card. Each player adds up the cards in front of them and subtracts the cards still in their hand. Scores can go negative.
- Win: keep dealing hands (the deal moves left each time) until someone reaches 500 or more at the end of a hand. If two players cross 500 in the same hand, the higher total wins.
Rummy 500 card values
| Card | Points | Example |
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| 2 to 9 | 5 each | 7-7-7 scores 15 |
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| 10, J, Q, K | 10 each | J-J-J scores 30 |
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| Ace played low (A-2-3) | 5 | A-2-3 of hearts scores 15 |
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| Ace played high (Q-K-A or a set of Aces) | 15 | Q-K-A of spades scores 35 |
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| Joker (optional) | 15, wild | Counts 15 wherever it is used |
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| Cards left in your hand | Subtracted | Caught with K, 8, 4: minus 20 |
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Examples
Strategy tips
- Watch the discard pile closely. A card buried deep in the pile that completes a meld for you can be worth grabbing, along with every card above it.
- Before reaching deep into the pile, check how many cards you'll be stuck with. A big pickup can win the hand for you, or leave you holding a pile of penalty points if someone goes out soon.
- Lay down melds once the hand is moving. Points in your hand count against you if an opponent goes out first.
- Look for lay-offs on opponents' melds every turn. Each card you add scores for you, not for them.
- Hold on to high-value cards only while you have a real chance of melding them. A lone King left in your hand costs 10.
- Avoid discarding cards that fit an opponent's run or set on the table, since they can pick it up and lay it off.
Example: scoring a hand
Player A has melded Q-K-A of hearts (10 + 10 + 15 = 35) and 7-7-7 (15), for 50 points on the table. When an opponent goes out, Player A is still holding the 8 of clubs and the 3 of diamonds, worth 5 + 5 = 10. Player A's net score for the hand is 50 minus 10, so +40, added to their running total toward 500.
Frequently asked questions
How do you play Rummy 500 with 2 players?
Deal 13 cards each instead of 7 and use one 52-card deck. Everything else is the same as with more players: draw from the stock or the discard pile, meld or lay off, then discard. The first player to reach 500 points across several hands wins.
How many cards do you deal in Rummy 500?
13 cards each in a 2-player game and 7 cards each with 3 or more players. With 5 or more players, shuffle two 52-card decks together.
Can you take any card from the discard pile?
Yes, that is the signature rule of Rummy 500. You can take a card from anywhere in the pile, but you must meld it or lay it off on that same turn, and you must also pick up every card above it.
Can a run go around the corner from King to Ace to 2?
Not in standard rules. Q-K-A and A-2-3 are both legal, but K-A-2 is not, because the Ace is either high or low in a run, never both. Some house rules allow it, so agree before dealing.
Who scores a card laid off on someone else's meld?
The player who laid it off. The card is placed in front of you and its points count toward your score, not the score of the player who made the original meld.
Do you have to discard to go out in Rummy 500?
Most rule sets let you go out without a final discard if your last card completes a meld or lay-off. Otherwise you go out by discarding your last card. Play stops immediately and the hand is scored.
What happens if the stock runs out?
Play continues with players drawing only from the discard pile. When a player can't or won't draw, the hand ends and everyone scores as usual, with cards in hand subtracted.
Why do some players score number cards at face value?
Some printed rules score 2 to 10 at face value and a low Ace as 1, instead of the simpler 5 points for 2 to 9 used here. Both work; just agree on one before the first hand.
Can I get these Rummy 500 rules as a PDF?
Yes. Press Print Rules and choose Save as PDF as the printer in your browser's print window. Pick full color for a table reference, or ink-saver black and white for a cheaper handout.
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