Hool: Gin Rummy (IMPORT)

This game is in Korean but is language-independent (no Korean text on cards), a pdf copy of the English rules will be provided with the game if they are not included within the box.

Hool! is a traditional Korean rummy game also known as Hoola. You can play with a traditional deck of playing cards, with the cards ordered A23... up to ...JQKA23... so that they loop. Each player starts a round with seven cards in hand and one card face up to start a discard pile.

On a turn, the active player must draw the top card of the deck or the discard pile, but they can draw the latter only if that card will be part of a new meld. After drawing, they can meld a set or sequence of three cards. If this player has a meld in front of them, whether from this turn or an earlier one, they can add to melds already on the table, adding a fourth 6 to a set of three or adding a 2 to a QKA sequence. Additionally, you can meld a 7 on its own to the table.

To end your turn, if you still have cards in hand, discard a card. If you now have no cards in hand, the round ends. Players are then ranked by their points still in hand, with an unplayed 7 being worth 14 points, and players give points to the winner based on their ranking. The worse your rank, the more you pay. Additional penalties might double what you pay depending on what you have in hand.

Alternatively, if you have melded no cards, you can end the game with a blast by having a point total that is small or large enough based on all seven cards in hand. Also alternatively, if you have at most 10 points in hand at the start of your turn, you can call for the end of the round. If you have the smallest total, you're ranked first, but if anyone has fewer points than you, you're automatically ranked last.