House rules and variations for both play and scoring need to be discussed and agreed upon before play starts.

The object of Hillbilly Rummy is to build each set and or run for each round played. You are to try to get rid of all your cards and go out before your opponents do.

2-4 Players you will need 2 decks of cards 4-6 Players you will need 3 decks of cards 6-8 Players you will need 4 decks of cards

To start game play the first dealer is decided by each player selecting one card, the player with the highest value deals. If two or more players tie, the youngest player deals first.

During the first nine hands you may lay down at any point when it is your turn. You cannot play any card when it is not your turn.

Round 1: Deal 7 cards Build two sets of three.

Round 2: Deal 8 cards, Build one set of three and one run of four.

Round 3: Deal 9 cards, Build two runs of four.

Round 4: Deal 10 cards, Build three sets of three.

Round 5: Deal 11 cards, Build two runs of five.

Round 6: Deal 12 cards, Build one set of four and one run of seven.

Round 7: Deal 13 cards, Build two sets of three and one run of six.

Round 8: Deal 14 cards, Build one set of three and one run of ten.

Round 9: Deal 15 cards,, Build three sets of three and one run of five.

Round 10: Deal 16 cards, Build three runs of five.

You must have all the required sets and or runs before you can lay down during each hand.

For the last hand you must play all your cards plus have a discard before you can lay down.

During the first nine rounds you can buy three cards, and on the tenth round you can buy four cards. These buys are to be bought from the discard pile. Once the round is over and a new discard is placed on the discard pile the card on the bottom is now dead and cannot be bought or used any longer.

Once you have laid down you can no longer buy cards from the discard pile during the rest of that round.

When your opponents lay down and use a wild card you can buy their wild card if you have the card that they used as a wild card. You may only buy a wild card when you are able to use the card to lay down. You cannot trade the card if you cannot make a new run and or set and lay down. You can only use the wild care in an individual card play if the played runs or sets do not already have a wild card. You must exchange your card for their wild card that is in your opponents runs and or sets.

You may only use 1 wild card in each set or run.

A common variation is that you may or may not duplicate a card in the middle of any played

runs. It is up to the players to decide upon this rule.

The first person to go out will have a score of 0. The rest of the players will add up all the points in their hand. That will be their points for that round. At the end of each round a score keeper will record the point for each player and at the end of the tenth round they will tally up all scores and the player with the most points is the looser.

If you use the Jokers as wild cards they are worth 50 points.

Any other card that is used as a wild card they will be counted as 20 points.

Aces are worth 15 points and 10's, Jack's, Queen's, and King's are worth 10 points. All other cards are worth 5 points.