Rummy Tricks & Tips to Win Indian Rummy Games, as we are probably aware, has numerous structures and variations, for example, 5OO Rummy, Gin rummy, Bing Rummy, Canasta, and others. There are likewise less complex and essential forms, for example, The Ruckus. Similar to the Western card game rummy, Mahjong is a game of skill, strategy, and calculation, and it involves a degree of chance. The game is played with a set of 144 tiles based on Chinese characters and symbols, although some regional variations may omit some tiles or add unique ones. Use High Cards as a Bait. Most rummy players discard high cards at the beginning of the game. It is a common strategy but you can use such cards to trick your opponents. Here is an example to help you understand that better. Suppose you discard the Q ♥ and one of your opponents picks up the card.
| see also: How to play Mahjong Solitaire Tournaments online. Play Mahjong Solitaire Online. Mahjong Tournaments |
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Introduction
Mahjong solitaire or MahJongg solitaire also known as Shanghai solitaire, single-player mahjong or one-player mahjong, is a solitaire matching game that uses a set of Mahjong tiles. The 144 tiles are arranged in special layouts with their faces upwards. A tile that can be moved left or right without disturbing other tiles is said to be exposed. Exposed pairs of identical tiles (Flower and Seasons tiles in the same group being considered identical) are removed from the layout one at a time, gradually exposing the lower layers to play. The aim of the game is to clear the layout by pairing up all the tiles. The game is finished when either the layout is empty, or there are no exposed pairs remaining.
Object of the Game
The object of the game is to clear the playing area of tiles by matching pairs of tiles. Players can remove only those matching pairs of tiles where each tile has at least one side (left or right) free and no other tiles placed on top. Matching tile pairs can be removed by clicking on each tile in the pair. Reshuffle button can be used when no moves are available. A maximum of 5 reshuffles per game is allowed.
A player can only remove the tiles one pair at a time. There are a total of 72 pairs in a game of MahJong Solitaire. Like cards, the tiles have standard suits. These suits are Characters, Bamboos, Circles, Dragons, Winds, Seasons, and Flowers as shown in the table below:
| Characters (4 of each) | Bamboos (4 of each) | Circles (4 of each) | Dragons, etc. (4 of each) | Winds (4 of each) | Seasons (1 of each) | Flowers (1 of each) |
When matching pairs, Seasons and Flowers are the only suits you do not need to match exactly. Any Season or Flower combination counts as a pair because there is only one of each tile.
When no pairs are left, you may use a shuffle. Each time you start a game, you are granted 5 shuffles. When you have no more pairs and no more shuffles, the game is over. If you clear the board, you move to the next level, which will have a different layout. Mahjong Strategy Tips
1. Although each tile layout requires a unique approach, the general strategy is to keep removing matching tiles in such a way that each removal would open up more possibilities for future tile matching.
2. You should open up new tiles with every pair they eliminate. Choosing obvious pairs every time, such as those from the top levels, will often lose the game by leaving essential tiles under cover.
3. In certain situations obtaining matching tiles after reshuffling can be either theoretically impossible or highly unlikely.
The key is to avoid getting into positions where the above is likely to happen.
4. It is very crucial to focus and give your full attention and concentration to the game, when your mind wanders, even for a second, it will cost you a lot of time to refocus.
5. React fast. Time is the most important factor in the game, so it is imperative to be fast. Fast reaction means making the correct decision given the current situation as the result of previous decisions.
6. You will be required to imagine your movements several steps ahead. The game might look playable now, but if you don’t look ahead and you make the wrong move then the game could end with no solutions.
7. Elaborate your visual memory. Some of Mahjong characters on the tiles look quite similar, especially when you have to quickly scan many tiles over and over. It is important to be able to distinguish all the tiles correctly, and often memorize where you last saw “that piece”.
At GameColony.com you can play gin rummy online. We also offer Gin Rummy GC - a mobile app for iPhone/iPad and Android phones and tablets.
Skill is a more powerful factor in Gin Rummy than in any other rummy games involving more than two players due to the following:
- There are 15,820,024,220 possible ten-card hands in Gin Rummy
(For details, see calculation of possible gin rummy hands)
(Also take a look at the discussion of purely offensive gin rummy strategy and typical hands) - No player will play the same kind of game consistently
- Players use the cards they 'catch' in different ways
If you review the strategy tips presented below, you will win many more Gin games.
Gin Rummy Statistics that Always Hold True:
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From the early stages of the game it is better to discard a card ranking one or two away and in a different suit to the one previously discarded by your opponent. For example, if your opponent's first discard is the 7 of diamonds, then 6 or 8 of clubs, spades or hearts is probably your safest bet.
If your hand does not contain any of the former cards, discard a card of rank equal to the one that your opponent has previously discarded (i.e. the 7 of spades). Statistically there are only four possible chances that an equal-rank card can be used against you.
An essential skill for a good gin rummy player is good memory -- you must be able to memorize all the possible melds in a hand. You also must be able to calculate the chances for your two-of-a-kind sequences. Always think about your own resources and strategy first, then about your opponent's. By looking at opponent's discards, etc. try to figure what is in your opponent's hand. This way you won't give any good cards away and you also won't be holding cards for an impossible or unlikely meld.
The sevens are the most valuable card in the deck when it is time for forming melds. The seven can be used to extend melds more than any other card.
Remember, you are more likely to win a gin rummy game if you:
- Try to score and knock as quickly as possible
- Anticipate your opponent's 'baits' - especially with the first couple of discards
- Try not to jeopardize a good hand by speculating
- Towards the end of the game, either play the score or try to keep under and prevent your opponent from winning the game with that hand
Rummy Mahjong Strategy Games
More Notes on Strategy
In on line gin rummy you observe what cards your opponent is discarding and which of your discarded cards he is drawing. All discarded cards have to be also memorized. Based on the above and own hand cards, an inference is made as to the structure of opponent’s hand on the assumption that opponent is trying to make melds as best as he can.
It is unadvisable to go all out for gin hand online. The bonus of 25 isnot sufficient to compensate for the times when you should have knocked.
Typical game ends at half-deck to 2/3rds of deck, so knockers should not hesitate to knock earlier than half-deck point.
It is generally better to draw a deck card than an upcard because lessof your hand will be known to your online opponent. Also, if you take upcard -–you are taking cards of no use to your online opponent, but drawing from deck you may be preventing him from going for a gin hand.
The best game exception to the above rule is when you need the upcardto convert 2 matching cards into a meld of 3 or more thus eliminating 3 pieces of deadwood including the upcard. It is especially good if it enables you to knock immediately.
When you suspect an imminent knocking from your online opponent (far into the deck > 2/3) it may be worth taking a low upcard and throw any high-value deadwood.
It is good to retain high-ranking pairs and 2-card sequences acquired early in the online game in the hope that opponent will discard a matching 3-d. Thus, 3 high-ranking pieces can be potentially eliminated. Conversely, it is a good idea to delay discarding high-ranking non-paired unmatched deadwood until later in the online game to prevent the opponent from creating high-ranking melds.
In arranging your melds after knocking, try to attach a card to a set of 4 rather than a sequence if it could equally well go with either. This way, you prevent your online opponent from laying off his deadwood to your sequence.
Before reaching half-deck, you can retain the high-value potential unmelded combinations (such as Ten plus Queen of Hearts waiting/hoping for in-the-middle Jack of Hearts). However, after reaching half-deck with unfulfilled hopes, it is advisable to discard these cards. Still you have to be careful discarding high value cards after half-deck point. You do not want to give your online opponent higher chances to form melds and knock in the game.
Best Strategy For Gin Rummy
- If there are unmatched high-value cards in the beginning (with low probability to create melds), it’s not good to discard them before reaching half-deck because they may be of value to your online opponent. For example, discarding a Queen (10 points) if opponent takes it will potentially organize your online opponent’s meld of 3 Queens – 30 points with 20 points difference. So such high unmatched cards should be retained before half-deck as ‘stoppers’ – to stop opponent. If, however, opponent starts discarding cards that would have potentially created melds with your unmatched high-value cards, it may be safe to discard such high unmatched cards before half-deck – not in the very beginning. Continuing the example with one unmatched Queen of Hearts at the beginning of the game…if we see that the opponent discards one of his Queens, it may be safe to discard ours in the beginning. There may be a danger in such discarding, however, for example if opponent discarded the Queen of Spades, and we assume that we can safely discard our lonely Queen of Hearts because he cannot get 3 or more Queens, he may be able to take our Queen of Hearts to use in a meld with King of Hearts & Jack of Hearts – same 30 points gain.
- Early in the game it is advisable to discard a card ranking one or two away (better one away) and in a different suit to the one previously discarded by opponent. Example: opponent discards 9 of Clubs. It is best to discard one of {10 of Diamonds, 8 or 10 of Hearts, 8 or 10 of Spades, etc.}. If no such card is held, next best bet is to discard a card of rank equal to one discarded by opponent
- Seven is usually the most valuable card in the deck as far as its ability to form melds – it can extend melds better than any other card. Therefore, one should be careful discarding it too early in the online game since it can help the opponent