New to Nordic Contract Rummy? Start here. These six cards cover everything you need to know before your first deal.
Each round gives you a specific contract to complete — sets, runs, Four of a Kind, Five of a Kind, or a mix. You cannot go out until your contract is laid down.
A set is cards of the same rank — Seven of Hearts, Seven of Clubs, Seven of Diamonds. A run is a sequence in the same suit — Four, Five, Six, Seven of Hearts.
You may knock up to three times per round to grab a discard card — but each knock also gives you a penalty card from the draw pile, growing your hand.
Jokers are wild and can stand in for any card. But they cannot be discarded. A Joker left in your hand at the end of a round costs you 50 points.
The round ends when one player gets rid of all their cards. That player scores zero. Everyone else counts the points left in their hand.
After all fifteen rounds, the player with the lowest total score wins. It is not about winning rounds — it is about keeping your score as low as possible throughout.
Nordic Contract Rummy is not only about going out quickly. It is about completing your contract, managing your hand, blocking opponents, and keeping your score as low as possible across all fifteen rounds.
Follow a sample round from the first deal to the final score. Use the buttons to move at your own pace.
Shuffle two full standard decks together, including the Jokers. Deal ten cards to each player. The starting player receives eleven cards. The starting player rotates at the beginning of each round.
Place the remaining cards face down to form the draw pile. Turn the top card face up to start the discard pile. Now you are ready to begin the round.
Before each round starts, check the contract. In Round 2, you need one set of three and one run of four. You cannot go out until both are complete and laid down on the table.
On your turn, either draw the top card from the draw pile, or take the top card from the discard pile. Then work toward your contract. End your turn by discarding one card — but remember, Jokers cannot be discarded.
If another player wants the top card from the discard pile when it is not their turn, they may ask to knock. You — the player whose turn it is — decide whether to allow it or not. Saying no can be a strong defensive move.
If allowed, the knocking player takes the discard card and must also draw one penalty card from the draw pile — adding two cards to their hand. This uses one of their three allowed knocks for the round. A card received from a knock cannot be discarded on the very next turn.
After one full turn cycle has passed, a player may lay down their completed contract. Jokers can substitute for any card in a valid set or run. Once you lay down your contract, you cannot knock anymore during that round.
After laying down your contract, play your remaining cards by adding them onto valid sets and runs already on the table. Then discard your final card to end your turn — unless you are going out completely.
Round 15 special rule: In Round 15 there is no final discard. You must lay down all cards at once in one complete play.
The round ends the moment one player gets rid of all their cards. That player scores zero points. All other players reveal their remaining cards and count the penalty points.
Count the value of every card left in your hand using the card value table. The lower your score each round, the better your position. After all fifteen rounds, the player with the lowest total score wins the game.
Everything you need during play. Tap any section to expand it.
Each round has a specific contract that must be completed using sets and runs. Once a player completes their contract and lays it down, they try to get rid of their remaining cards. The round ends when one player has no cards left. After all fifteen rounds, the player with the lowest total score wins.
| Card | Points |
|---|---|
| Three through Nine | 5 points each |
| Ten | 10 points |
| Jack | 10 points |
| Queen | 10 points |
| King | 10 points |
| Ace | 15 points |
| Two | 20 points |
| Joker | 50 points |
A Joker stuck in your hand is the most expensive card in the game — fifty points every time.
Set (Triss): Three or more cards of the same rank, regardless of suit.
Example: Seven of Hearts, Seven of Clubs, Seven of Diamonds
Run (Stege): A sequence of cards in order within the same suit.
Example: Four of Hearts, Five of Hearts, Six of Hearts, Seven of Hearts
Four of a Kind: Four cards of the same rank.
Five of a Kind: Five cards of the same rank (Jokers may be used).
Do not always allow a knock. If another player wants that card, it probably helps their contract. Saying no can be a strong defensive move.
A card received from a knock — either the discard card or the penalty card — cannot be discarded immediately. The player must keep it for at least one full turn cycle before discarding it.
In most rounds, a player goes out by playing all their remaining cards and discarding their final card. The round then ends immediately.
The player who goes out scores zero points for that round. All other players count the penalty value of every card remaining in their hand.
In Round 15, there is no final discard. A player must lay down all of their cards at once in one complete play. Every card must be part of the final layout — nothing can be discarded to end the round.
Plan Round 15 carefully. Every card in your hand must fit into the final play — runs become especially important here.
| Round | Contract |
|---|---|
| 1 | Two sets of three |
| 2 | One set of three + one run of four |
| 3 | Three sets of three |
| 4 | Two runs of four |
| 5 | One run of five + two sets of three |
| 6 | Four sets of three |
| 7 | Two runs of four + one set of three |
| 8 | One four of a kind + one run of five |
| 9 | Two runs of five |
| 10 | One five of a kind + two runs of four |
| 11 | Three runs of four |
| 12 | Two four of a kind + one set of three |
| 13 | One five of a kind + one set of three + one pair Pair cannot be built on |
| 14 | One run of five + two four of a kind |
| 15 Final | Two sets of three + all remaining cards in a run |
Contracts grow harder as the game progresses. Planning suited sequences early and saving Jokers for later rounds is a smart long-term strategy.
Do not always allow another player to knock. If they want the card, it likely helps their contract. Saying no is a legitimate defensive move.
Watch which cards other players ask for. It tells you what contract they are working on.
Use knocks carefully. Each successful knock adds a penalty card to your hand — more cards means more risk if someone else goes out first.
Jokers are powerful but dangerous. Using a Joker in your contract early is much safer than holding it in your hand at the end.
Once you lay down your contract, you cannot knock anymore. Think before you lay down if you still need cards from the discard pile.
In later rounds, runs become more important than sets. Keep suited sequences together from early in the game.
In Round 15, plan extremely carefully. Every single card must be played — there is no final discard.
Nordic Contract Rummy is easy to learn but gets more strategic every round. Complete the contract, manage your Jokers, use your knocks wisely, and keep your score low.