Glossary
Rummy terms beginners should know
On day one, learn pure sequence, impure sequence, set, joker (printed and wild), declare, drop, and deadwood. These words appear on almost every Indian Rummy Points, Pool, or Deals table.
Meld words
Sequence: consecutive cards in one suit. Pure sequence: that run with no joker. Impure sequence: a run that uses a joker as a substitute. Set: three or four of the same rank in different suits. You need at least one pure sequence before a valid declare in standard 13-card Indian Rummy.
Example: 5♥ 6♥ 7♥ is a pure sequence. 5♥ 6♥ Joker is impure. 7♠ 7♥ 7♦ is a set — useful, but it does not replace the pure-sequence requirement.
Joker words
Printed joker: the joker cards in the deck. Wild joker: a rank declared wild for that deal (for example all Queens wild). Both help impure groups and sets under the sheet — neither makes a sequence “pure” if used as a substitute inside that run.
Some rooms also show a joker card face-up after the deal; that face decides the wild rank. Read the table once so you do not treat every face card as wild by habit.
Table action words
Draw: take from closed deck or open discard. Discard: the card you throw to end your turn. Open pile / discard pile: the face-up card others may take. Closed deck: face-down stock. Declare / show: reveal a finished valid hand. Wrong declare: an invalid show that attracts a penalty.
Sort / group: rearranging cards in your hand between turns. Finish: informal word for a hand ready to declare. Use the room’s Declare button only when every group is legal.
Scoring words
Deadwood / unmatched: cards not in a legal group when someone else declares — they become penalty points. Drop: leave the hand early for a fixed first-drop or middle-drop cost. Points / Pool / Deals: session formats that wrap the same deal rules in different scoreboards (see our compare page for a side-by-side).
First drop vs middle drop: earlier exits are often cheaper — exact rupee or point costs sit on the room sheet. Cap: some Points rooms cap the maximum you can lose on one hand; still treat high deadwood as urgent.
Format words in one line each
Points: settle the hand, then deal again. Pool: stack points toward a limit (often 101 or 201); hit the limit and you are out. Deals: play a fixed number of hands and compare chips. Same meld language applies in all three — only the session scoreboard changes.
Words that belong to other games
Trail, colour, and blind/seen are Teen Patti terms — not Indian Rummy melds. Marriage, dublee, and tunnel belong to Marriage / 21-card sheets. If a lobby label confuses you, open that game’s page instead of forcing 13-card meanings onto it.
How to use this glossary at the table
When the UI flashes a word you do not know, match it here first, then re-check your groups. Pure sequence and wrong declare are the two phrases that save the most early sessions. For a longer walkthrough, open How to play Indian Rummy; for pure runs only, open What is a pure sequence in Rummy.
FAQ
Is a set a sequence?
No. A set is same rank, different suits. A sequence is consecutive ranks in one suit.
What is deadwood?
Cards left unmatched when another player declares; they add penalty points.
What does drop mean?
Leave the hand early for a posted penalty instead of playing to the end.
What is a wrong declare?
Showing a hand that is not fully legal — often missing a pure sequence or leaving an unmatched card. The room applies its penalty.
Where should I learn pure sequence in depth?
See the guide “What is a pure sequence in Rummy” and the Indian Rummy game page.