Play

Play begins with the player on the dealer's left and proceeds clockwise. In turn, each player draws the top card from the stock or the discard pile and may then do either or both of the following:

Meld. A player who has three cards of the same suit in a sequence or run, may meld them by laying these cards, face up, on the table. If at least three cards of the same rank are held, they may be melded as a set or group. The original rule was that Aces could only be played low, for example A♠ 2♠ 3♠. However, it is now common to treat them as high or low, but not both. For example, Q♠ K♠ A♠ is legal but Q♠ K♠ A♠ 2♠ is not. Melding is optional and as many may be made as are possible on one turn.

Lay off. A player may also choose to lay off some cards on an existing meld. This means that a player who can add to a sequence or a set on the table, regardless of who initially melded it, may do so.

Finally, after making any melds or lay offs, the player must discard a single card to the discard pile, face up. A player who drew the upcard from the discard pile, may not replace the same card on the discard pile, but must discard a different card.

If the stock runs out, the next player may choose to draw from the discard pile or to turn it over to form a new stock. The discard pile is not shuffled. After forming the new stock, the top card is drawn to form the new discard pile. The player can call rummy if a point is discarded into the discard pile. They cannot however call rummy if the card becomes a point while in the discard pile.

Going out. A player may go out by discarding the last remaining card in hand, whether as part of a meld, a lay-off or a discard.

Example. Anne has 7♦ 8♦ left in her hand and draws 9♦, thus forming a sequence. She goes out by melding her sequence and without making a discard. Or supposing Ben has 3♣ 4♣ K♠ and draws the 5♣, he may meld the 3♣ 4♣ 5♣, discard the K♠ and go out. Or if there is a run of 8♥ 9♥ 10♥ on the table and Charlotte, who has the Q♥, picks up the J♥, she may lay off her two cards to the existing meld and go out.