Rummikub for Recreation (Rummikub)

Member Name: Kukana

Product:	Rummikub
Date:	23/03/04 (251 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Enjoyable game for older children and adults, Plenty of skill, some luck

Disadvantages: Seems a little complicated at first, Full-sized version a bit expensive

We had the travel version of Rummikub for a couple of years before discovering how to play. Somehow the instructions seemed complicated, and the tiles - two full sets of numbers from 1 to 13 in four colours - looked a bit dull.

Then we learned to play at a friend's house. After a slightly slow start, we realised it was an excellent game, and have played it as a family regularly ever since.

* How to play *

The rules are simple: each player takes 14 tiles, and tries to arrange them into sets of at least three tiles: runs (such as 4-5-6) in a single colour, or groups (eg three 7s) in different colours. These are put down on the table, and the object of the game is to get rid of all the tiles in one's hand.

However in order to 'start', each player must have valid sets within his or her hand which total at least 30 (such as three 10s, or - say - three 2s, a 3-4-5 run in one colour, and a 4-5-6 run in another colour). While some players might have such a set or combination initially, it's likely that most won't.

Each player takes it in turn either to put something on the table, or - if they cannot yet start with at least 30, or are unable to put anything down after starting - they pick up a piece from the spare tiles instead. If nobody can start, the game can seem a bit boring at first, as each player simply picks up another piece in turn, but eventually two or three players will be able to put down their starting tiles, and this is where the fun begins!

Once a set of tiles is on the table, they can be used by anyone else, if possible, to help them get rid of their own tiles. So, for instance, if player A has put down a run of black 5-6-7, and player B, who goes next, has in his hand a black 4 and a black 8, he can add these to the 5-6-7 to make a run of five tiles. If player C, who follows, has in her hand a red 8 and
a yellow 8, she can then REMOVE the black 8 from the run, and put it with her own pair to put down a set of three 8s. So long as there are at least three remaining in each set of tiles on the table, they can be moved around and manipulated as much as the players want.

In addition there are two 'wild tiles' which can be substituted for any other tile - so if a player has an 11 and a 13 in the same colour, the wild tile can be put down between them, as the 12. Another player who has the 12 can swap this in when his turn comes, and must then use the wild tile himself in some other way.

The person to get rid of their tiles first has won the round; each other player sums the tiles left in his or her hand, and counts that as a negative score against themselves. The person who won then ADDS the total of tiles left in all the other players hands to his own score. So if, for instance, player A manages to win, player B is left with a 12 and a 3 in his hand, and player C is left with a 6, a 9 and an 11 in her hand, player B scores minus 15, player C scores minus 26, and player A scores plus 41 (ie 26 + 15). If several rounds are played, a negative score can easily be wiped out by one player winning early in the game, leaving the other players with high scoring hands that count against them, but are added to the winner's current score.

* Further comments *

This game is ideal for four players, and works quite well with three or five players; however for more than five it's best to combine two sets, or it's likely that the spare tiles will run out. With two players it is possible, but not very interesting! Mathematical skill is not really needed, so fairly young children can play this game - however they may need some help, since the potential manipulation of pieces around the table can be fairly complicated. I
;t depends how confident the child is, and what kind of games they play already. A competent chess player would probably have no problems!

While there is obviously some luck in the drawing of the tiles, there is significant skill which increases with practice. We have an ongoing Rummikub championship in our family, keeping a score tally for a year; rather than evening out, as would have happened in a game of pure chance, we found that one player tends to be the winner considerably more often than others.

If you enjoy a relaxing evening with time to chat and something to focus on which requires some concentration, I can highly recommend Rummikub. If it's new to you, or to anyone else, it's best to play an 'open' round first, where everyone can see everyone else's hands, and help or explanations can be given while playing.

I've rated this as good value for money, because it's certainly a game that can be played over and over again, for many years. However I do think the regular version is over-priced for what it is; I haven't seen it at less than £19.99 in any shops, although you can sometimes find it second-hand at Amazon or Ebay, at various prices.

There's also a travel version which is usually around £7.99 new, and perfectly playable. If you have a full-sized version and a travel version, this is ideal for playing with more than 5 players as it's easy to sort the pieces out by size afterwards.

Summary: