Kalooki 40 Rules

Kalooki 40 is another classic skill-based Rummy game that incorporates the use of wild cards and is best played with 2-4 players.  Players are always dealt 13 cards, no matter how many players participate.

Don't get confused by other ways of spelling: Kalooki, Kaluki, Kalookie and Caloochi refer all to the same game - however Kalooki 40 and Kalooki 51 are different!

The goal of Kalooki 40

The goal in Kalooki 40, just like in all Rummy games, is to be the first player to get rid of all the cards in your hand, by melding them into sets and runs and laying them down.

A "set" contains 3-4 cards of the same value while a "run" consists of 3 or more consecutive cards of the same suit. The players must begin a turn by drawing a card either from the stick or discard piles, and adding it to their hand. To complete their turn Kalooki 40, players must discard a single card from their hand onto the discard pile. Building is an important element of Kalooki 40.

During the their turn, Kalooki 40 players may add matching cards to melds already laid down on the table during previous rounds either by them or by other players this move is called Building. Players who build onto melded sets and runs on the table, may do so in the following way: either adding the corresponding card of the fourth suit to a 3 card set (in case it contains a Joker, no repeated suits are allowed), or by adding matching consecutive cards to either end of a run. In builds, as in original melds, a joker can be used as a substitute for any card and acquires the value of the card it represents.

The reuse of Jokers in Kalooki 40

 

The reuse of Jokers in Kalooki 40 must be carried out the following way: in a 3 card set that contains a Joker, the Joker may be released for equal ranking cards of both missing only. By adding just one card of one missing suit, a closed 4 card set is formed, from which the Joker may never be released. In case a 3 card set contains two Jokers, players can add either one of the missing suits, releasing one of the Jokers and forming a closed 4 card set.  In case a run contains a Joker, the players to hold the card the Joker represents in their hand may use it to release the Joker and reuse it elsewhere. In case players release a Joker they must use it to melds cards and laying them on table at the same turn. The Joker cannot be added to the cards in their hand. There are two ways to win a round of Kalooki 40.

Winning in Kalooki 40 - Going Out or Going Kalooki.

Going Out is when players meld all the cards in their hand, laying them down on the table gradually last card onto the discard pile.

Going Kalooki is when players meld all the cards in their hand, laying them down on the table at once and discarding their last card onto the discard pile all at once and in the same turn while having no umatching cards left.

In Kalooki 40, unlike other Rummy games, players cannot "lay off" any cards after a player wins. When the winner calls, the round is immediately over and the defeated opponents cannot dispose of any of the cards they are holding, even if they match any of melds on the table.

Points calculation in Kalooki 40

Primarily, the remaining players will receive penalty points in Kalooki 40 for their remaining cards each. The penalty points are represented by each card's individual value:

2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10 - individual value

Jack, Queen, King - 10 penalty points each

Ace- 11 penalty points

Joker - 15 penalty points

In case that the game is finished by one player Going Kalooki then each remaining player is additionally penalized with 25 points.

Try out Kalooki 40!