Basic Steps
Those familiar with Rummy games might already know that Burraco is named after the famous “meld” containing seven or more cards that players must accomplish in order to win.

Number of Players: Burraco can only be played by two players at a time.

The Deck: The game requires two decks of standard playing cards, plus only two of the Jokers.

The Objective: Burraco requires an agreed upon target score, and the first player to reach or exceed that score is the winner. If it is a Quick Game being played, however, the player with the highest score at the end is declared the winner. A round reaches an end when one of the two players has successfully melded all of the cards in their hand, AND also created at least on Burraco meld. The round can also end if the stock pile of cards is completely used up. Scores are determined by the point values of the melds laid down by each player. Unlike some other forms of Rummy, a Burraco player may legally lay down melds at any time during the game, regardless of point values.

Understanding Card Values

In Burraco a Set will consist of three or more cards in the same rank. Suits can be repeated in a set, but only one Joker or Wild Card may be added.
OR

Runs will always consist of three or more consecutive cards within the same suit, and only a single Joker or Wild Card may be added.
OR

 

The four suits

 

The cards and their values
5 Points 10 Points       15 Points 20 Points 30 Points

When a player makes a Clean Burraco meld, it will contain seven or more cards in a valid SET or RUN, but it will not contain any Wild Cards or Jokers at all.

Clean Burraco: Consists of 7 cards or more. It can be either a SET or a RUN and contains no Jokers or Wild Cards.
or more

When a player makes a Dirty Burraco meld it will have seven or more cards in a valid SET or RUN, but it may contain a single Joker or Wild Card.

Dirty Burraco: Consists of 7 cards or more. It can be either a SET or a RUN and contains a Joker or a Wild Card
or

To Play

A game of Burraco begins with each player receiving 11 cards. The dealer then takes an addition 22 cards from the deck and forms two individual Stock Piles of 11 each. The remaining cards are placed faced down to form the Primary Stock Pile, and a single card is taken from this pile and placed face up on the table to create the Discard Pile.

Turns will consist of two mandatory activities – drawing a card and discarding another.

To Draw: The player can opt to take only the top card in the discard pile, or they can pick up the entire pile.

To Build: Optionally, a player can use their hand to build any pre-existing melds they have already created.

To Lay Down: Optionally, the player can lay down any valid melds during their turn. A Burraco player will have their own pre-assigned meld area, and in RummyRoyal that is to the left hand side.

To Discard: In order to complete a turn the player must lay one card in the discard pile.

The Side Stocks: The two separate stock piles created during the dealing period are used as follows:

• The Stock Reserve: when the Primary Stock Pile runs out of cards, and there are some left in either of the Side Stocks, these can become the new Stock Pile. If none remain, the game ends.
• The Refill: when a player runs out of cards, but there are cards remaining in one of the Side Stocks, these will automatically become their new hand either before or after the discard. A player is only allowed to take up one of the two Side Stocks during a round.

The Jokers and Wild Cards

Wild Card Values: Any card with a value of 2 points is a Wild Card and can stand as their own value or as any other required to make a Run or a Set.

Special Notes:

• Melds can only have a single card with a value of 2 which is used as a Wild Card. For instance, it is acceptable to meld 2-3-4-2, but it is not acceptable to meld 2-4-5-6-2.
• Only one Joker or one Wild Card is acceptable in a meld. This means that Joker-4-5-6-2 is not acceptable.
• Switching a Joker or Wild Card in a previously placed meld is acceptable, but the card must be reused within that same meld only.
• A Joker or Wild Card can be moved up or down in a meld. For instance, if the player had a pre-existing meld of 7-8-9-2, they could legally re-arrange the Wild Card to the beginning of the meld and add a 5 card. This would result in 5-2-7-8-9. At RummyRoyal this is automatically done when the 5 card is added to the meld.

Ending the Round

• When a player has made at least one Burraco, has melded all of their cards, and places their final card into the discard pile the round ends; or
• If the primary stock pile runs out and there are no remaining Side Stocks available, the round comes to an end.

How to Score

The Winner’s Points: To tally the winner’s score you add the value of all of their melds PLUS any Bonuses and Penalties as outlined below.
The Opponent’s Points: To tally the opponent’s score you add the value of all of their melds MINUS the value of the cards remaining in their hand. You then add any Bonuses and Penalties as outlined below.

Penalties or Bonuses for Specific Moves, Actions, or Scenarios

Failing to Use the Side Stock is a 100 point penalty.
Eliminating all of the cards in the hand after taking up a side stock is a 100 point bonus.

 

Move/ Action/ Scenario	Points
Clean Burraco	A bonus of 200 points
Dirty Burraco	A bonus of 100 points
Failing to Use the Side Stock	A penalty of 100 points
Eliminating all of the cards in the hand after taking up a side stock (Referred to as “Winning Bonus”).	A bonus of 100 points