The Power of Card Suits

Rummy, with its popularity all over the world and in India, has come to be known as a game of strategy, skill, ability, and focus.
In order to win at rummy, it is important to understand the fundamentals of the game. A winning strategy comes with a confident player who is well-versed in the rules of the game and understands the role that cards play. In order to learn how to play rummy, understanding card suits is a must.

Understanding Card Suits

Every standard card deck used to play rummy has the same 4 card suits: spades, clubs, diamonds, and hearts. Since the way to win the game is by making sequences and sets, card suits are essential to making a sequence. A winning pure sequence can only be made with cards from the same suit.

Power of Card Suits

The objective of Indian rummy is to use your cards to create at least one pure sequence with the same card suit but different ranks. A pure sequence simply means that all cards in the sequence must belong to the same card suit without the use of a Joker or a wild card. A player cannot win a game of rummy without a pure sequence of cards from the same card suit. It is hence crucial for a player to understand the card suits in their hand and know how to strategically keep or discard cards from a particular suit.

Using Suits to Plan your Strategy

When a hand of cards is dealt to the player, it is important to analyse the hand and understand which cards can be used to make a sequence. If the player has cards from the same card suit that lie close to each other, such as 6♦️ and an 8♦️, a sequence can be planned in anticipation of picking up consecutive cards from the closed pile.

A pure sequence would then look like this if the player was successful in drawing a 7♦️ and a 9♦️

6♦️ 7♦️ 8♦️ 9♦️

Balancing between Card Suits

By carefully observing the cards from the closed pile, you will know which suits to rely on and which card suits to discard. The road to becoming a better rummy player is to not hang on to cards from the same suit. Keep evolving your strategy, depending on the cards from other players as well, which could help you form a sequence.

Observing Opponent’s Picks and Discards

Playing a good game relies on focusing on your opponent’s game plan and strategy as closely as your own. This simply means that while you pay attention to the card suits dealt in your hand and pick up and discard the right cards to make a sequence, you must also observe the cards your opponent discards and picks up. When your opponent discards cards from certain suits, you gain insight into the suit they could be looking for to complete their sequence. Once you have this insight, you can decide to make the game tougher for them by withholding cards from the suit they could be looking for.

This simply means that if your opponent has been freely discarding cards from a hearts suit and a spades suit, it might be in your best interest to withhold any cards from a diamond suit or a club suit.

Suit-based Strategies in Advanced Play

Once you have grasped the basic principles of Indian rummy, you must focus on adopting a strategy that helps you advance your game further. The initial understanding of card suits will enable you to learn how to play rummy; however, with a deeper understanding of the game, you can turn any hand into a winning hand or turn your opponent’s winning game around. 

This can be done by baiting your opponent into thinking you do not need a card from a certain suit by discarding a card from that suit that doesn’t lie close to the sequence you are looking at making. This may prompt them to discard a card you actually need to create your sequence. This means that you must intelligently use all the cards in your hand, not just the ones that will help you create a sequence or set. It is also important to diversify the suits in your hand to be able to stay more flexible and change your strategy mid-game if required.

The Psychological Aspect of card Suits

A successful game of rummy is all about practice and developing a strong sense of observation. This observation is what allows you to forecast how your game can turn and where your opponent’s game is headed. Hence, bluff them smartly.
Learn to play a thrilling game of rummy and understand the power of card suits with the A23 Rummy app. Download the app now to enjoy and get better at the game.