Rummy vs. Solitaire: The Difference between the Two Classic Games

All of us, at some point in our lives, have bought and owned a deck of playing cards and indulged in a gaming spree with friends and family. Some of us may have even gone a step further and got ourselves a customized deck of cards, which we proudly kept on the display shelf to flaunt in front of everybody. That clearly shows our level of obsession with playing cards and card games. Card games are a fun and productive mode of entertainment that can keep us hooked for hours at a time. Among the plethora of card games available, rummy and solitaire are two classic card games that continue to thrive and remain popular among the masses even today. However, people often get confused between these two games. 

Touted as the “classics,” solitaire and rummy card games have been played for centuries. You might have even grown up playing one of these games during your childhood. While rummy is a go-to social game for many, solitaire is the first card game that was played on computers.. Rummy & Solitaire are unique card games that also vary from each other to a certain extent. For those who are not familiar with the game play and rules of Solitaire and rummy, we are here to help. Here are some points of differences between rummy and solitaire:

Rummy vs Solitaire: Number of players 

Rummy: Usually, two to six players participate in a game of rummy.

Solitaire: As the name suggests, solitaire is a single-player game. However, nowadays, this game is available online in the multiplayer format too.

Number of card decks and the ranking of cards

Rummy: The number of card decks depends on the number of players. Usually, one or two standard decks and jokers are used. A joker is a game-changing card that is used to create the necessary combinations. The ranking of cards from low to high is as follows: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, jack, queen, king, ace. 

Solitaire: A traditional solitaire game uses one standard deck of 52 cards. In the case of virtual solitaire, one or two card decks are used. There is no joker used in the game. The ranking of cards from low to high is as follows: A, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, jack, queen, king.

The objective

Rummy: In Indian rummy, each player gets 13 cards. The objective of the game is to form the required combinations using all 13 cards and make a valid declaration. In order to make a valid declaration, you must create at least two sequences, out of which one must be a pure sequence. The winner of the game gets zero points. If you declare without a pure sequence, you get a penalty of 80 points. 

Solitaire: Solitaire is all about sorting cards. The objective of this game is to move all the cards from the tableau columns onto the foundation piles according to suit in ascending order from ace to king. 

Rummy vs Solitaire: The Set-up

Rummy: A typical rummy game is played by two to six players using one or two standard card decks. Players are usually seated at a table and each player is dealt 13 cards. The remaining cards form two piles: open deck and closed deck. These decks are kept at the center of the table. 

 Solitaire: A game of solitaire generally has four different types of piles.

 i) Tableau: It consists of 7 tableau columns that make up the main layout.

 ii) Foundations: The foundation piles are 4 stacks of cards on which a sequence is built up according to suit. At the beginning of the game, these piles are empty.

 iii) Stockpile: Also known as the “hand” pile, the stock consists of cards that are remaining after building the tableau.

 iv) Talon: Also known as the “waste” pile, the talon consists of cards from the stockpile that have no place in the tableau or on the foundation piles.

 Rummy vs Solitaire: The gameplay

 Rummy: When the game begins, each player draws and discards a card at their turn. The cards can be drawn from both the open and closed decks and discarded to the open deck. 

 You can create different combinations such as sequences or sequences and sets to make a valid declaration. A sequence is a group of three or four sequential cards of the same suit. When a joker is used to replace any missing card in a sequence, it becomes an impure sequence. A sequence created without the use of a joker is a pure sequence. On the other hand, a set is a combination of three or four cards of the same rank but different suits. 

 You can make a valid declaration and win the game by creating one of the following required combinations:

 i) 2 sequences (including one pure sequence) + 2 sets.

 ii) 3 sequences (including one pure sequence) + 1 set.

 iii) 4 sequences (including one pure sequence).

 A pure sequence is a must to make a valid declaration. Hence, before declaring your hand, ensure that you have at least one pure sequence to avoid getting any penalty points.

Solitaire: A card from one tableau column can be placed on another card that is one rank higher than the card moved and of an alternate color. You can move multiple cards at a time as long as the entire group that you are moving is in descending order and alternating color. If there is an empty spot in the tableau, it can be filled only by a king. If you cannot move any more cards within the tableau, you can select 3 cards from the stockpile to create a talon. If you cannot play the first card of the talon, 3 more cards can be picked from the stockpile. Now if there are no cards remaining in the stockpile, the talon is reshuffled and formed into a stockpile. In this way, the process continues. 

While arranging the tableau, you also need to build onto the foundation piles. The topmost card from the talon or tableau columns can be transferred onto the foundation piles. You win the game once you have transferred all the cards from the tableau onto each of the four foundation piles according to suit in ascending order from ace to king. If you have no moves left and the foundation piles remain incomplete, you lose the game.

 Both solitaire and rummy are skill games that require players to utilize skills such as decision making and analytical thinking to win. If you are a card game enthusiast and are looking for a secure platform to play rummy games on, you should play on Junglee Rummy. We are a trusted rummy platform with over 30 million active users across India. You can play rummy and enjoy a variety of games, including free and cash games and tournaments. Download the rummy app now and get a welcome bonus up to ₹8850! Happy gaming!