Indian Rummy is a traditional card game which has been played in India since the dawn of time. It is one of the most popular card games among the masses. With the advancement in technology, rummy has become easily accessible to play with friends and families from anywhere at any time. In online rummy games, if players are playing at a 2-player table then one deck of cards is used and if players are playing at a 6-player table then two decks are used.

Joker cards have a valuable role in a rummy card game. It is a trump card which can be used to a player’s advantage during the game of rummy. Joker is believed to adapt from the Euchre card game. It is also believed that the word joker came from the word ‘joke’ which was common in use.

Types of Joker in Rummy

The joker card is a trump card which can be used to form an impure sequence and set. Printed joker and wild card joker are the two types of jokers used in the game which work as a bonus in making an impure sequence and set.

• Printed Joker: In a deck of cards, there are two printed jokers.
• Wild Card Joker: In rummy card games, four wild card jokers are used. At the beginning of the game, a random card is selected which is used as a wild card joker. For instance, 2 of ♦ is the selected card, then 2 of ♣,♥ and ♠ are also considered as the wild card jokers in that particular rummy game.

Use of Joker Card in Indian Rummy

If you want to beat the opponents in the game, then you must know certain ways to use the joker card in the rummy card game.

1.  Group the Joker with high-value cards

King, queen, jack and ace are the high-value cards in the game of rummy. The value of each high card is 10 points. If high-value cards are left unused then it can lead to losing the game. So, it is advised for players to use a joker card with high-value cards to reduce the points in the game. For instance, if 6 of ♣ is the wild card joker and you have K of ♥, Q of ♥ then you can use 6 of ♣ with it to form an impure sequence (K♥, Q♥, 6♣).

2.  Don’t use a joker in quadruplet

For making sets and sequences in online rummy card games, a minimum of three cards are needed. Using a joker card in quadruplets does not make sense, as by doing so you will waste the card. If it is possible to complete sets and sequences with three cards then there is no need to use a joker card in it. Instead, use that joker card with another set of cards to make an impure sequence.

3.  Do not use wild card Joker for its face value

One of the essential tricks to keep in mind while playing a rummy card game is to avoid using wild card joker for its face value. Wild card joker holds a very important place in rummy gameplay. Suppose, the wild card joker in the game is 7 of ♦ and you have 8 of ♦ and 9 of ♦ then you should not use 7 of ♦ in that particular sequence as it will not give any advantage to it. Rather, use that wild card joker to form another set of impure sequences.

4.  Make an impure sequence first

When cards are drawn to players, it is suggested to make sequences first rather than forming sets. It is also advised to wait for a joker card for some time which will help in forming an impure sequence. It’s a fruitful strategy which can help in lowering the risk of discarding cards that might be useful in creating a sequence.

5.  Discard the extra Joker card

While playing a rummy card game, if too many joker cards are drawn then it is suggested to discard the extra joker cards from the hand. If you have extra joker cards but you are not able to make an impure sequence then the joker is not beneficial to win the game.

Conclusion

To suffice, we can say that, rummy is one of the card games in which players are required to make valid sets and sequences. Joker cards are used to make an impure sequence or sets. Joker cards are an important element in the rummy card game which must be used with utmost care.

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