While playing the game of rummy, there might be some situations where you feel like the cards are not good enough to make a move ahead. Sometimes making valid sequences and sets seems like a tough task. Situations like these may lose the morale of the players, which may lead to losing the entire game. To get away from situations like these, players can use the strategy of dropping out. 

Drop out is the strategy in which players can leave the game without getting out of the game. In drop strategy, players can either make the initial drop or the middle drop. When players make a drop, they get a penalty of some points which vary from variant to variant. The penalty points in the first drop and middle drop are also different.  

Types of Drop Strategy

1. First Drop

The first drop is the drop when a player leaves the rummy game at the initial stage. Players get a penalty of 20 points for making the first drop. Players can use this strategy when they do not have any joker cards and they have a lot of unmatched cards. If a player doesn’t pick any card in the game of rummy, then it is considered the first drop.

2. Middle Drop 

The middle drop is the drop in which a player leaves the game after making the first move. In the middle drop, players get a penalty of 40 points. Players can use the mid-drop strategy when there is no joker card but still, there is a possibility of grouping cards in sequences and sets. After some rounds, if the probability of grouping the cards goes out then it is advised to leave the game. While playing, if a player drops the game after picking the card from the closed deck, then it is treated as a mid-drop.

3. Three Consecutive Drops

If a player misses three turns consecutively in the game of rummy, then the player is dropped out of the game automatically. Missing three consecutive turns costs the player a penalty of 40 points.

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Drop in Rummy Variants

Points Rummy, Pool Rummy and Deals Rummy are the three types of Rummy variants which can be played at Rummy Passion without any hassle. In all three variants, the drop strategy and score calculations are different.

1. Points Rummy

 In Points Rummy, if a player drops the game at the first stage, then they have to face a penalty of 20 points. Dropping the game in the middle can cost the player 40 points. 

2. Pool Rummy

Pool Rummy has two variants which are 101 Pool and 201 Pool. If a player makes the initial drop in 101 Pool Rummy, then players are given 20 points as a penalty. Making a middle drop in 101 Pool makes the player face 40 points as a penalty. 

In 201 Pool Rummy, making the first drop may cost 25 points. If players are making a middle drop, then players get a penalty of 50 points.

3. Deals Rummy

In deals rummy, if the best of 2 or best of 3 is played then players are not allowed to use a drop strategy.

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When to use the Drop strategy in the Online Rummy game: 

1. Dealt with High-Value Cards

If you are dealing with high-value cards and those cards are not connected to form sequences and sets then it is advised to drop the game at the beginning of the game. If players are dealt with multiple high-value cards then again it won’t help in forming sequences and sets which ultimately leads to losing the game. Ace, King, Queen, Jack, and 10 are high-value cards that hold 10 points each. The penalty for dropping the game at the initial stage is 20-points.

2. No Joker Card in the Game

Joker cards play a very important role in the game of rummy. It helps in forming an impure sequence or set, which ultimately helps in declaring the hand. If players are not dealt with joker cards and the hand that is dealt is bad then dropping the game is the best option for players. It is difficult to win the game of rummy without a joker card. 

3. No Connecting Cards

If players are dealt with cards that are not connected to each other and if there are no joker cards in the game, then it is tough to make sequences and sets. Connecting cards can help the player in declaring the hand by forming sequences and sets before other players. Connecting cards are also called the mid-value cards which are considered from 3 to 8 in every suit. 

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Conclusion

To conclude, we can say that drop is an important strategy in online rummy games which can be used by players. Now you know when to make a drop in the game of rummy. Whenever players feel like they have got a bad hand they make a drop. Players are required to keep in mind that dropping the game is not similar to losing the game of rummy.