What You'll Need
Shanghai Rummy is a deeper, longer cousin of basic Rummy — it adds a contract system where each round has a specific goal you must meet before laying down any cards. It's a game of patience, hand management, and timing.
- Two standard 52-card decks shuffled together (use 3 decks for 6+ players)
- 3 to 8 players (best with 4-6)
- Jokers included — they act as wild cards
- Scorepad and pen
Setup
Shuffle all decks together including Jokers. Deal 11 cards to each player. Place the remaining cards face-down as the draw pile. Flip the top card face-up next to it to start the discard pile.
Shanghai Rummy is played over 10 rounds. Each round has a "contract" — a specific combination of sets and runs you must build in your hand before you can lay cards down.
The 10 Contracts
- Two sets of 3
- One set of 3 + one run of 4
- Two runs of 4
- Three sets of 3
- Two sets of 3 + one run of 4
- One set of 3 + two runs of 4
- Three runs of 4
- One run of 7
- Two sets of 4
- Three sets of 3 (but all cards must be played — no cards left in hand)
Sets = 3 or more cards of the same rank (e.g., three 7s)
Runs = 4 or more consecutive cards of the same suit (e.g., 4-5-6-7 of hearts)
How to Play
Taking a Turn
On your turn, you either draw from the draw pile OR take the top card of the discard pile. Then you discard one card face-up onto the discard pile.
Simple as that — draw, discard, wait for your contract.
The Shanghai Rule
Here's what makes this game special. If the card on top of the discard pile is one you want, but it's not your turn, you can "Shanghai" — call out "Shanghai!" and take that discard out of turn. But there's a price: you must also draw a card from the draw pile (so you gain the card you wanted but also get a penalty draw). Only one player can Shanghai per turn. If multiple players want it, the player closest in clockwise order from the current player gets priority.
Each player can only Shanghai a limited number of times per game (typically 3 times total).
Going Down
Once you have completed your contract in hand, on your turn you may "go down" — lay your contract cards face-up on the table. After going down, you can also lay off additional cards on any other player's melds on the table.
You cannot go down until you have the complete contract. No partial melds.
Ending the Round
The round ends when one player discards their last card (goes out). That player scores 0 for the round. Everyone else counts the point value of cards remaining in their hand.
Card Values
- Jokers: 50 points
- Aces: 15 points
- Face cards (K, Q, J): 10 points
- Number cards (2-10): face value
Winning
After 10 rounds, total up all scores. Lowest score wins. Every card left in your hand when a round ends adds to your score — so going out first (or at least going down and playing off all your cards) is critical.
Tips & Strategy
- Prioritize the contract first. It's tempting to collect all kinds of cards, but you can't lay anything down until the contract is complete. Focus on getting exactly what you need for the round's contract.
- Don't hold Jokers too long. Jokers are 50 points if stuck in your hand at round end. Use them as soon as you go down, or offload them onto opponents' melds.
- Watch what opponents discard. If someone keeps discarding 8s, they're not building 8s — safe to collect them. If they stop discarding a suit entirely, they might be building a run in it.
- Use your Shanghais wisely. Don't burn a Shanghai early on a mediocre card. Save them for when you genuinely need a specific card to complete your contract.
- Aces are double-edged. 15 points in hand is brutal. Get them down on the table fast. In runs, Aces can go low (A-2-3) or high (Q-K-A) depending on house rules — clarify before playing.
Variations
No Shanghais
Play without the Shanghai rule for a simpler, faster game. Good for beginners learning the contract system first.
Unlimited Shanghais
Remove the Shanghai limit — anyone can Shanghai anytime (still one per turn, first in clockwise order). The game gets wild.
Different Contract Lists
Different families play with different contract progressions. Some go 7 rounds instead of 10. The version above is common but not universal — always agree on contracts before you start.
Drinking Version
Drink once per 10 points you score each round. Jokers = 5 drinks. Zero round = give out 5. After 10 rounds, the highest scorer finishes their drink.
Drinking variation is intended for adults 21 and older. Please drink responsibly.