How to Play London Rummy

To keep score, count each face card at face value. The royal family counts 10 each, the ace is 11 points and the joker is a wild card that takes the value of the card it represents, unless you are caught holding it at the end, in which case it counts for 15 points.

Shuffle both decks together, and deal out 13 cards to each player.

Place the rest of the cards face down. They will make up the stock pile. Take the top card, and place it face up. This will be the discard pile.

Whoever is left of the dealer begins, and each player takes turns going in a clockwise direction. Each turn is broken down into three parts.

When it is your turn, you draw a card from either the stock pile or the discard pile. Then meld forming new sets or runs or adding to existing melds. Lastly, discard one card from your hand and place it face up on the discard pile. In each turn, you must draw a card and discard a card. Melding is optional. Note that aside from the first player's turn, you must be ready to lay down your initial meld of 40 or more points before you are allowed to draw from the discard pile or add to existing melds.

The hand ends when someone melds all of their cards except for one and discards the last card. You cannot meld everything. There has to be a discarded card at the very end. The term for this is calling up.

All the other players total up the points left in their hands as penalty points. As a player reaches 150 penalty points, he or she is taken out of the game. The last surviving player wins the game.