Card Games Registration

Rummy Rules

March 21, 2026, Saturday 11:00 AM

Venue: Kerala House (40374 Fremont Blvd, Fremont, CA 94538)

1. The main motto of the tournament is “to have fun”
2. Registration fee is 50$.
3. Each player must join the assigned table at the announced time.
4. Each player will draw a card to decide the order of the play. The player who draws the highest card (Ace is the highest) will get the first hand and lowest card (joker is lowest) will shuffle. (Order of signs highest to lowest – Spade, Hearts, Clubs, Diamond). In case of a tie, the tied players will draw again to break the tie.
5. Chairs will be numbered and player receiving the “first hand” will sit at no:1 position, second hand at no:2 position etc.
6. A joker card is randomly selected at the beginning of each game. The player left to the shuffler will cut the cards and draw the joker.
7. Printed Joker: In case a printed joker is selected as joker for a round, then the players can also use Ace card of any suit as a joker.
8. Each player is dealt a set of 13 cards randomly.
9. First card from the pack is placed in the open deck indicating that the game has started.
10. Remaining cards are placed face-down in the closed deck slot.
11. During the play, the player can take the latest discarded card unless it is a joker or from the top of the closed deck. A discarded joker can only be taken for making a PURE sequence or ‘Thennaali’.
12. Drop: A player is allowed to drop during his/her turn. Frist drop (drop before playing the hand) is 25 points and middle drop is 50 points.
13. If a player is not present during play, then his cards will be dropped automatically (25 points if he/she hasn’t played the round yet, 50 points if in the middle of the round).
14. Declaration
  1. To declare you keep a card face down and then show the sequences. Invalid declarations are 100 points. If the declarer fails to show a valid declaration after starting the show of cards, it will be counted as an invalid declaration.
  2. All 13 cards must be included in the declaration (14th or discarded card must be placed faced down to start the declaration process)
  3. PURE sequence – 3 or more cards of same suit in sequential order (ex: Spade Ace, Spade King and Spade Queen). 3 same cards of the same suit (Thennaali) is also considered as PURE/First. (Ex: Spade Ace, Spade Ace, Spade Ace)
  4. Impure sequence – 3 or more cards of same suit in sequential order with Joker. (Ex: Spade Ace, Joker, Spade Queen).
  5. Set – A set is 3 or 4 cards of “same value and different suits” with or without joker. (Ex: Spade Ace, Hearts Ace, Diamond Ace is a set)
  6. Valid declaration or show will have the following
    1. First – A PURE sequence. This is compulsory.▪ Second – A PURE or Impure sequence. This is compulsory.
    2. Third – A PURE or Impure sequence or a set.
    3. Fourth – A PURE or Impure sequence or a set. (Fourth is not needed if all 13 cards are used with First, Second and Third)
  7. Show and counting of cards continue in right hand order.
  8. If anyone shows the cards on wrong declaration, then the cards will be counted, and the points will be entered.
15. Two re-entries are allowed per game. Re-entry will be 50$ and the “re-entered” player will shuffle sitting on the left-hand side of the receiving hand person. All other players will move to accommodate the “re-entered” player.
16. Game will be played for 250 points. At 250 a player can play. 251 is out.
17. If all the players don’t have 13 cards after card distribution, then that shuffle will be invalid, and a reshuffle is mandated.
18. First round winner goes to next stage (Sem Finals).
19. Top six players from Semi Finals will go into Finals.
20. No substitution and/or helping is allowed on the table during the game.
21. We expect everybody to have fun, hold ethics and spirit of rummy.
  1. Any disputes that are not resolved by checking tournament rules, will be referred to appointed tournament Judges.
  2. All decisions by judges will be final.
  3. No fraudulent and cheating allowed. All decisions by judges are final.
22. Points
  1. Each round will be played for 250 points. At 250 a player can play. 251 is out.
  2. The winner gets 0 points.
  3. The loser gets points based on the cards in their hand.
  4. Every card that are not part of valid sequences or valid set carries a certain number of points.
    1. J – 10 points
    2. Q – 10 points
    3. K – 10 points
    4. A – 10 points
  5. All other numbered cards carry the same points as their face value for ex: 7 carries 7 points and 3 carries 3 points.
  6. The printed jokers and the joker for the “play” carry zero points.
  7. Loser can get up to 100 points in each play.
  8. If the loser has no points (he is also in declared state but failed to declare) then 2 points will be entered. If joker is numbered card 2 then 3 points will be entered.
  9. Any player who fails to show the cards on the table will automatically get 100 points.
  10. First place holder from first round goes to the next stage.

Main Points

- The main motto of the tournament is “to have fun”.
- Game will be played for 250 points. Reentry is 50$ and two re-entries are allowed (re-entry is allowed only to the table the given player was playing and got out).
- Players can join new first round tables by paying 50$.
- First Drop 25 points, second drop is 50 points. Maximum point is 100.
- If printed joker is the selected joker, then Ace is also counted as the joker for that game.
- Wrong declaration is 100 points.
- Two re-entries are allowed at all round games and in final.
- Re-entry is not allowed if all remaining players are in compel state.
- Final must be played all the way (Until a single player stands).

28 Card Tournament Rules

March 21st, 2026, Saturday 8:30 AM

Venue: Kerala House (40374 Fremont Blvd, Fremont, CA 94538)

3 players per team

A. General game rules and objectives:

1. 36 cards from standard 52-deck cards are used for playing this game. There are nine cards from each suit: Hearts, Diamonds, Clubs and Spades.
2. Cards used with their ranks/values: J=3, 9=2, A & 10 = 1 (A > 10), K, Q, 8, 7 & 6 = 0 (K > Q > 8 > 7 > 6) add to a total of 28 points with 4 suits.
3. The objective of the game is to obtain a higher score of points than the opposing team at the end of a session or regulation play.
4. Two partnerships of three players each are needed to play 28. Partners take alternate seats.
5. The game consists of dealing, bidding (often called auction) and play after which the hand is scored. The bid ends with a contract, which is a declaration of one partnership that its side will take at least the declared number of points with a specified suit as trumps.
6. A minimum bid of 16 in suits is mandatory for the lead player, seated to the immediate right of the dealer. This will be followed by higher bids by other players in a counterclockwise direction up to a maximum bid of 28 in any of the four suits.
7. Win tricks to collect card points. The bidding team must meet or exceed their bid. The opponents try to stop them.
8. The following point scoring system will be maintained for all individual deals, and points will be recorded in score sheets. Cumulative scores will be determined at the end of each session or regulation play.
9. A fulfilled bid or contract of 16-19 gets 1 score point, 20 to 23 scores 2, 24-27 scores 3, 28 scores 4, ‘Thani’ or ‘Adi’ scores 5.
10. In the event a bid/contract is defeated, the team which defeats the bid/contract gets the following points: 16-19 gets 2 score point, 20 to 23 scores 3, 24-27 scores 4, 28 scores 5, ‘Thani’ or ‘Adi’ scores 6.
11. ക ോട്ട്:
  1. Applicable to the contracts 16 through 19.
  2. Needs to be called by the bidding team (or asked by the opponent team) when at least 3 rounds of cards are yet to play.
  3. A fulfilled ക ോട്ട് will get 2 points for the bidding team. If fails, the opponent gets 3 points.
  4. Only the lead player at any given moment can call/accept ക ോട്ട്.
12. മറുക ോട്ട്്‌:
  1. Applicable to the contracts 16 through 19.
  2. A fulfilled മറുക ോട്ട്്‌ will get 3 points for the team opposite to the bidding team
  3. മറുക ോട്ട്. Is played all the way. You cannot ask for മറുക ോട്ട്, and no need to call it.

B. Dealing of cards:

1. The game is played counterclockwise, the dealer rotating by game.
2. Cards are to be dealt first by the player determined by the draw. The next deal is to be performed by the player sitting immediately to the right of the dealer and so on.
3. The dealer will shuffle the cards thoroughly using both hands. Table flopping (as is done in the game of Rummy) is not permitted.
4. The cards are then offered to the player seated immediately to the left for “cutting”, an action of restacking performed by one hand in a single motion. Multiple restacking is not allowed
5. Cards will be dealt three at a time, face down in a counterclockwise direction in two (2) rounds, thus each player gets 6 cards in total.
6. Re-Deal of Hands: The following infractions when occur will cause the hand to be re-dealt by the same dealer who caused the constraints:
  1. If any card is exposed during the process of the deal.
  2. If any player gets more than or less than 6 cards.
  3. If a player is dealt with all 6 cards in the same suit.
  4. If a player is dealt with all 4 Jacks.
  5. If after the bid and during the play it is discovered that the defending team is collectively void in trumps.
  6. Out-of-turn shuffle will result in reshuffle if detected before the start of the game, i.e., before the first card is played by the leading player.

C. Bidding (Auction):

1. A minimum bid of 16 is compulsory for player to the immediate right of the dealer, entering in the Call Count. The bidder tables the trump face down on the table, visible to all players.
2. The opposite team member sitting immediate right to the opening player gets a chance for a higher bid. A ‘pass’ by this opposite team player means the opposite team’s second player gets a chance to raise the bid. If he/she passes, the opposite team’s third player (dealer) gets a chance to make a higher bid. If any of the players from opposite team raises the bid and puts their trump face down on the table, the opening player’s teammate (second followed by third) gets a chance to raise the bid. If the opposite team does not raise the bid, the opening team’s partner(s) can raise the bid to the next higher level. i.e. if the opening player calls 16, and the opposite team does not raise the bid, the opening team’s partner(s) can call 20 or higher to make his/her own trump. Dealing and the turn occur in an anticlockwise direction.
3. Bidding is permitted only at their turn. Out of turn bidding and ‘leading the play’ can result in a penalty for the offending team by awarding one (1) point to the opposing team.

D. Play of the Hand:

1. Play for the 1st trick is initiated by the player to the right of the dealer.
2. A player cannot open with a card he/ she has made the final bid upon, until it is opened by a player for trumping a void suit played or he/she holds no other suit.
3. Playing with all trumps in one hand or within the same team nullifies the game.
4. The other players must follow suit. You can either trump or discard another card, if you are void in the suit led. You click on the face-down trump card to open it, to trump the suit.
5. Having called for the trump to be exposed, you must play a trump to this trick if you have one; if you have no trump, you may discard any card.
6. It’s not necessary to use the face-down trump at first time for the bidder.
7. The highest card in the suit wins the trick, unless it is trumped. The highest trump wins the trick.
8. When all six tricks have been played, each side counts the card points in the tricks they have won. The bidding team needs at least as many card points as the bid to win; otherwise, they lose.
9. The cumulative scores of the two teams are recorded on a piece of paper. The number of game points scored depends on the bid, not on the exact number of points taken in tricks.
10. To make a trump, the bidder must have at least one card of that suit. If he/she only has one trump and he/she has put it face down as the trump, and if any of the 5 other players plays the trump, he/she cannot open the trump and play that card.

E. Miscellaneous:

1. For ‘Thani’ or ‘Adi’ call/bid
  1. All 6 players need to play (not just the defending team and the ‘Thani’ bidder).
  2. Minimum 2 Adi is a must (Top 2 cards, J and 9 of same suits) to make Thani bid.
  3. Starting Suit cards should be over by the time Thani bidder runs out of that suit (Ex: Thani bidder has Spade J 9 A, Hearts J 9, Clubs J. Once Thani bidder plays all those 3 Spades, all the 9 spades should be played. Let us say another player holds 4 Spades, by the time Thani bidder plays Spade A, that player still will have one Spade left in which case Thani bid will be considered defeated).
  4. ‘Sure Thani’ is not allowed – Ex: Thani bidder has Hearts J, 9, A, 10, K and Spade (there is no way opponent has a chance here, hence ‘Sure Thani’).
2. Cardinal Rule: Each player must follow through with the same suit ‘in play’, if player holds cards in the same suit. Only if you have no cards of that suit, can you play a trump, or discard any card.
  1. Discarding of Jacks is allowed (Jacks treated as any other cards when it comes to discarding).
  2. If any player violates the cardinal rules, their team is penalized by awarding the ‘game’ and three (3) additional points to the opposing team. Awarding the game in the following order: If the team that violated the rule has ‘sealed’ the bid, they have lost the game. If the other team has sealed the bid, then they have won that game.
3. No tricks or codes are allowed. This includes body language, coughing or making sounds, unnecessary comments, etc. If any team is found to be in violation, they may be disqualified or the opposing team awarded three (3) points for that game.
4. No talking or gestures are allowed during the game. All are requested to maintain decorum and sportsmanship during the entire duration of the tournament.
5. Players of the team can switch seats maximum three (3) times in a session but only during their turn of deal. The switching should be completed before the cards are dealt for the game.
6. Number of shuffles for group games through Semis is 12. Same with Loser’s finals.
7. Finals will have 18 shuffles.
8. There is no external referee or umpire for any match. The progress of the match is to be monitored and recorded by the players themselves.
9. The Organizing committee has the right to add or amend the existing rules if necessary.
10. In case of any dispute, the decision of the Match referee shall be final and binding. The match referee and their panel will be announced prior to the commencement of the tournament.
11. Only a few specific issues are mentioned here, all the general rules are applied to the game of 28 (support) will be followed in this tournament.

Tournament Format:

- Group Stage
  - Each team gets 4 games
- Quarter Finals (applicable if 16+ teams are participating)
  - Top 8 teams from group stage play knockout (1 vs 8, 2 vs 7, 3 vs 6, 4 vs 5)
- Semi Finals
  - 4 winning Teams from QF play knockout (Q1 Winners vs Q4 Winners, Q2 Winners vs Q3 Winners)
- Losers Finals
  - Semi losers play losers finals (to decide 3rd and 4th place)
- Finals
  - Semi winners play Finals (to decide 1st and 2nd place)
  - 18 shuffles