Using Jokers in Rummy
Jokers are the most powerful cards in rummy. They fill any gap and score nothing. Using them well – and not wasting them – is one of the clearest differences between a beginner and a strong player.
On this page 6 sections
Quick reminder: two kinds of joker
- Printed jokers ★JKR – there are two in the pack.
- Wild jokers – every card of the rank shown by the card turned up after the deal. If that card is a 4♥, all fours are wild: 4♠4♥4♦4♣. If it is a printed joker, all Aces are wild.
Both kinds work the same way and both count 0 points. Full rules are on the 13-card rummy page.
How many jokers are there?
With two decks, each rank appears eight times. The card turned up to choose the wild joker is not in play, so seven wild jokers remain in the pack, plus the two printed jokers – nine jokers that could reach players’ hands. (If the turned-up card is a printed joker, there are eight wild Aces plus one printed joker – also nine.) That’s a lot of help, which is why it’s worth thinking about how you use each one.
Where to use a joker
Not in your pure sequence
A joker standing in for a missing card makes a sequence impure. Your first priority is a natural pure sequence – so use jokers for the second sequence and for sets.
6♠7♠8♠ pure – needs no joker
J♦★JKRK♦ impure second sequence – the joker fills the Queen
Fill the hardest gap
Suppose you hold 8♣10♣ and J♥Q♥, plus one joker. The J♥Q♥ can be completed by any 10♥ or K♥. The 8♣10♣ needs exactly a 9♣. Use the joker on the harder one – 8♣★JKR10♣ – and keep drawing for the easier one.
Save it for a set if sequences are done
Once you have your two sequences, a joker can turn any pair into a set: Q♠Q♥★JKR. That can be the last group you need to declare.
Wild jokers in their natural place
A wild joker card can also be used as its normal value. If fours are wild, 3♦4♦5♦ is a pure sequence, because the four of diamonds is in its real spot. This is a free bonus – you get a pure sequence and you still have the option of moving that four elsewhere later if a better plan appears.
Common joker mistakes
- Discarding a joker. Even a loose joker is worth 0 points, so holding it costs nothing. Throwing it can give your opponent a free card, on tables where jokers can be picked from the open pile.
- Using two jokers where one will do. 5♣★JKR4♥8♣ uses two jokers to fill the six and seven. If you can wait for a 6♣ or 7♣, you free a joker for another group.
- Building everything around jokers. A hand with three jokers but no natural sequence still can’t be declared. Get the pure sequence first.
- Forgetting the cut card. Check the wild joker rank at the start of every deal, so you don’t throw away a wild joker by mistake.
House rules vary on picking jokers. Many tables and apps don’t allow a discarded joker to be picked from the open pile. Others do. Either way, don’t throw them away.
FAQ
Can a joker be used in a pure sequence?
Not as a substitute. A printed joker always makes a sequence impure. A wild joker card is only part of a pure sequence when it is used as its own natural value in the correct suit and position.
Should I use my joker straight away?
Not necessarily. Placing it early can lock you into a plan. Many players hold a joker until it’s clear which group needs it most.
How many points is a joker worth?
Zero. Printed and wild jokers both count 0 points, even if they are left loose in a losing hand.
What happens if the cut card is a joker?
If the card turned up to pick the wild joker is a printed joker, all Aces become wild jokers for that deal.