OBJECTIVE OF KHANHOO: The first player to earn 50 points or more wins the game
NUMBER OF PLAYERS: 2 players
NUMBER OF CARDS: 61 cards
RANK OF CARDS: (low) Ace – 9 (high)
TYPE OF GAME: Rummy
AUDIENCE: Adults
INTRODUCTION OF KHANHOO
Khanhoo is one of the oldest documented Rummy games and its history can be traced back to the 12th century. In the late 19th century, Sir William Henry Wilkinson adapted the game to the 52 card French deck. By combining and altering two French decks, the game can be enjoyed by players of modern day Rummy games.
THE CARDS & THE DEAL
To set up a deck for Khanhoo, grab two standard decks and one Joker. Remove both sets of Spades Ace – 10. Also remove both sets of 10’s – Kings from the Diamonds, Clubs, and Hearts.
The final deck will contain two Aces – 10’s in Diamonds, Clubs, and Hearts, and it will contain two Jacks, Queens, and Kings in Spades. Throw in one Joker to make a 61 card deck. The Joker is wild, and it may be used to represent any card in a meld.
Deal 15 cards to each player one at a time face down. The rest of the cards make a draw pile in the center of the table.
Deal alternates each round.
THE PLAY
THE FIRST TURN
The non-dealer goes first. On their turn they draw a card from the draw pile. They choose a card from their hand to discard and begin the discard pile.
CONTINUING PLAY
Following the first turn, if a player picks up the top card from the discard pile, they must play the meld it goes in. If the player chooses to draw the top card from the draw pile, they do not have to play any melds.
If the draw pile runs out of cards, the next player removes the top card from the discard pile. The rest of the discard pile is turned face down to begin a new draw pile. The card that was removed from the discard pile is placed beside the draw pile. Play continues.
ENDING THE ROUND
A round ends once a player has melded their entire hand. This is announced after the final discard. A player must discard their final card.
MELDS & SCORING
There are many types of possible melds in Khanhoo. Each is worth a specific point value. The first player to meld their entire hand earns 5 points. Each player earns points for the melds they have created.
Cards that are not part of a meld are set aside during the scoring phase of the game.
| Aces | Three Aces, two same suit | 1 point |
| Sequence | Three or more cards in same suit in sequential order | 1 point |
| Triplet | Three cards of the same rank, all three different suits | 2 points |
| Double Triplet | Six cards of the same rank | 10 points |
| Courts | 1 Jack, 1 Queen, and 1 King of Spades | 3 points |
| Double Courts | 2 Jacks, 2 Queens, and 2 Kings of Spades | 10 points |
| Jacks Royal Group | Jack of Spades and both 7 of Diamonds | 4 points |
| Queen’s Royal Group | Queen of spades and both 8 of Clubs | 4 points |
| King’s Royal Group | King of Spades and both 9 of Hearts | 4 points |
| Khanhoo | Ace of Hearts, 2 of Clubs, 3 of Diamonds | 5 points |
| Double Khanhoo | Both Ace of Hearts, both 2 of Clubs, and both 3 of Diamonds | 15 points |
WINNING
The first player to earn 50 points or more wins the game.
- TRIPLE SNAKES - February 15, 2021