101 Pool Rummy and 201 Pool Rummy
101 Pool Rummy and 201 Pool Rummy are rummy variants with a minor difference.
Let’s look into the rules and why these are so popular.
The number 101, as the name implied, is an important component of 101 pool rummy. This is because the game is played indefinitely until one of the players scores 101 points or more.
The game of 201 pool rummy is played until one of the players scores 201 points or more.
The Objective of 101 Pool Rummy
The objective of the 101 pool rummy game is to score the least points in every round. The player who reaches a score of 101 points gets eliminated and the remaining players continue. This way, all players get eliminated except one who is declared the winner.
The Objective of 201 Pool Rummy
The goal of the 201 pool rummy game is to score the fewest points possible in each round. The player with the highest score of 201 points is eliminated, and the remaining players play on. In this manner, all players are eliminated except for the winner.
The Rules of 101 Pool Rummy and 201 Pool Rummy
2 to 6 players compete with one or more decks of playing cards.
Each player contributes money to the pot.
A well-shuffled deck of 13 cards is dealt to each player.
The remaining cards are arranged in a pile on the table (known as a stockpile). The first card in this pile is turned face up (forming the open deck), and the remaining cards are turned face down (this forms the closed deck).
The players try to form two melds, which can be two pure sequences, one pure sequence and one impure sequence, or one pure sequence and one set.
Players take turns selecting a card from the open or closed deck and discarding one of their hand cards to the open deck.
The players who complete the above objective first can request a show (often by saying the word ‘declare’). At this point, the game is paused and the sequences and sets are validated. If the player is found to be correct, he or she is declared the winner, with zero points.
The other players are given points based on the cards they have in their hands. Each card is worth the following points:
10 points for an ace
Joker – 0 points King, Queen, and Jack – 10 points each
Numerical cards have the same number of points as face value.
In the case of 101 pool rummy, players are eliminated when they reach 101 points (or 201 points in the case of 201 pool rummy)
Drop Option in 101 Pool Rummy
Dropping on the first turn results in a 20-point penalty.
Dropping on any subsequent turn results in a 40-point penalty.
Three consecutive misses or incorrect declarations result in an 80-point penalty.
Drop Option in 201 Pool Rummy
Dropping on the first turn results in a 20-point penalty.
Dropping on any subsequent turn results in a 40-point penalty.
Three consecutive misses or incorrect declarations result in an 80-point penalty.