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Rummy 45 vs Rummikub

Rummy 45 (Romanian Remi etalat) and Rummikub look almost identical: the same 106 tiles, numbers 1 to 13 in four colours and two jokers. But they play quite differently. Here is what sets them apart.

At a glance

	Rummy 45	Rummikub
Starting tiles	15 for the first player, 14 for the others	14 each
First meld	at least 45 points	at least 30 points
Discards	you discard a tile every turn; the next player may take it	no discards
Atu	yes — the face-up tile gives a 50-point bonus	none
Rearranging the table	add to melds and take jokers, by the rules	freely rearrange all melds
Who wins	most points after all rounds	first to get rid of all tiles

Your turn

In Rummy 45 a turn always has the same shape: draw from the pile or take the tile discarded by the player on your left, meld or add, then discard a tile. Discards are a big part of the strategy — after your first meld you can even "break from below" into the discard row.

In Rummikub there are no discards: if you can't (or don't want to) play, you draw a tile and your turn ends.

The table

Rummikub is famous for free rearranging: you may split and rebuild the melds on the table however you like, as long as they are all valid at the end. In Rummy 45 melds stay with their players; you can add tiles to them and take a joker by replacing it with the right tile, following precise rules.

Scoring

In Rummy 45 you score the tiles you meld (2–9 = 5, 10–13 = 10, Ace = 25, Joker = 50), plus bonuses for the Atu and going out; the highest total after all rounds wins. See Rummy 45 scoring. In Rummikub, whoever finishes first collects the value of the tiles left in the other players' racks.

Which one to choose?

If you enjoy planning and reading your opponents' discards, Rummy 45 is richer tactically. Rummikub is easier to teach children and is all about rearranging the table. In Romania, Remi etalat (Rummy 45) is the traditional version — and you can play it for free on Remi Online.

Frequently asked questions

Is Rummy 45 the same as Rummikub?

No. They use the same tiles, but Rummy 45 has a discard every turn, the Atu tile and a 45-point first meld, while Rummikub lets you rearrange the table freely and needs a 30-point first meld.

How many tiles are in Rummy 45?

106 tiles: numbers 1 to 13 in four colours, two of each, plus 2 jokers — the same as Rummikub.

Which is harder, Rummy 45 or Rummikub?

Rummy 45 has more rules (Atu, discards, breaking from below), so it is a bit more tactical. Rummikub is easier to learn.

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