How to use Joker as a rummy trick & tip?

A joker in rummy is a card that can replace any card in any value or suit when it’s needed.  There are two types of jokers used in rummy, one is printed jokers and the other is wild jokers. How to use joker wisely will be an sparkling rummy trick lead you to winning.

Printed Joker (PJ)

Printed jokers also serve the same purpose since you can use them to replace any other card to form sets and sequences.

A♣ K♣ PJ J♣ – PJ has been used to form a sequence by replacing in its space of Q♣ . There this is an impure sequence using a printed joker.

A♦ PJ A♣ A♥ – PJ has replaced A♠ to form a set of A♦ A♠ A♣ A♥

Note: If the Printed Joker is randomly selected as the wild joker, then A’s of all suits will become wild jokers. I.e. A♦ A♠ A♣ A♥ automatically become the jokers.

Wild Joker

At the start of each game, a wild joker card is randomly selected. This card can be used as a replacement to any required card after you meet the requirement of at least one valid sequence.

For example:

If 6♥ is selected as the wild joker, then 6 of any suit can be utilized as the wild joker. I.e. 6♥, 6♠ 6♦ 6♣ are all joker cards.

4♣ 5♣ 6♦ 7♣ – 6♦ has been used to form a sequence. This is an Impure sequence because even though it’s a 6 it’s not a 6 of clubs. 6♦ being a joker in this case.

4♣ 5♣ 6♣ 7♣ – 6♣ has been used to form a sequence. Even though 6♣ is a joker, it’s considered a pure sequence because it belongs to the same suit. (this is possibly the worst placement with a joker considering it is blocked in a sequence reducing its value of wild card)

A♣ K♣ 6♥ J♣ – 6♥ has been used to form a sequence by replacing in its space of Q♣ . There this is an impure sequence using a joker.

Why is the Joker so important in rummy games?

Joker is a relatively rare existence, for it can represent any card when you don’t have the exact card in hand. Joker is like the life-saving card that might turn the situation over with excellent use. Therefore, if you get a joker at the beginning of a game, it’s very lucky and you should use it carefully and choose the best moment to use.

The importance of the joker is that it can always be a game changer.

While some players play rummy without the joker card to make the game more challenging, it is advisable that rummy beginners use the joker cards to play rummy as they make the game fun and easy. In Indian Rummy, two types of jokers are used – Printed Joker and Wild Joker. The joker card plays a vital role in the game due to its points – the joker cards carry zero points. Therefore, strategically using the cards (wild and printed jokers) to reduce the points in hand is crucial for the game. The joker cards also help link a group of cards to make an impure sequence or set faster.

Joker as Rummy Tricks & Tips

The joker cards are an essential part of the Indian Rummy card game that can be used to gain an edge in the game. In the cases which you get more than one joker in a particular game, your should know how to use them to your advantage. Therefore, joker management is something you must learn to make the best use of a joker in hand. Here are a few tips you can implement to use a joker strategically while playing rummy online:

Make a Pure Sequence First

When you learn how to play rummy, one of the first rules is to form a pure sequence as soon as possible. Creating a pure sequence as your first step is more like a rule than a strategy. What’s more, with a joker card, it’s best to first make a pure sequence with the cards available rather than using those cards with a joker. A pure sequence is the most important sequence in the cards rummy game as it helps reduce the points in hand even if another player makes a declaration.

Use Joker with High-Value Cards

In online rummy game, you must get rid of the high-value cards first if they don’t fit in a sequence or set. Nevertheless, if you have a joker card, you can try using the higher-value cards to meld them into a sequence or set and reduce the points in hand.

Discard Adjacent Cards

If you have a wild joker card, the adjacent cards can be discarded. This is a common rummy trick commonly used by beginners, where they discard the adjacent cards if they receive a wild joker. For example, if you get a wild card, a 5♥, you can discard cards such as 6 and 7, and use the wild joker to make a sequence or set with high-value cards instead. Alternatively, if you have cards that could be melded into a sequence but only have one card missing, the wild joker can be used to complete the sequence rather than making a new sequence using cards adjacent to the wild joker.

Discard the Joker When Required

As essential as it is to use the joker card wisely, sometimes you may have to get rid of the joker card based on the situation. While getting one or two joker cards may be suitable for your game strategy, getting too many joker cards is not so beneficial for your game. With a lot of jokers, it may become difficult for you to form a pure sequence. This is where you have to get rid of the extra joker rummy cards.

Using A Joker to make an Impure Sequence

When you play rummy, one of the most essential roles of a joker card is in an impure sequence. An impure sequence is a group of 3 or more cards of the same suit, arranged consecutively, with a wild joker or a joker card included. For instance, 6♥, 7♥, PJ, and 9♥ is an impure sequence. Here, the printed joker is used to substitute for the 8♥. Similarly, a wild joker can also be used to complete an impure sequence. Taking the same example, if you have a wild card, say 2♠, you can use it to complete the sequence 6♥, 7♥, 2♠, and 9♥ by replacing 8♥ with the 2♠ card.

Using A Joker to make Sets

Another critical role of the joker card is in the making of sets. A set is a group of 3 or more cards of the same value but different suits. For instance, A♥ A♣ A♦ and 8♦ 8♣ 8♠ 8♥ are two different sets. However, if any one of the cards in the above sets is missing, but you have a wild card or printed joker, you can complete your set by using the jokers.

For example, you can make a set with A♥ A♣ PJ or 8♦ PJ 8♠ 8♥. Similarly, you can use a wild joker in a set, say the wild joker is 8♥, the set can be made using A♥ A♣8♥ or 8♦ 8♣ 8♥ 8♥. Here 8♥ is used to substitute for the missing A♦ and A♠ in the first example, or the missing 8♠ in the second example.

Avoid Using Joker as the Fourth Card in a Set

If you think of it wisely, you will see no point in using the joker card in a set of three cards. For instance, if you have A♥ A♣ A♦ as a set, there’s no point in using a joker in the set A♥ A♣ A♦PJ as it will be useless. Instead, you can use the card to group high-value cards in an impure sequence or set.