May I is a popular variation of the Rummy family that is widely played across the United States. It works exceptionally well when there are three or more players. A pleasing feature of May I is that it is played over seven distinct rounds, each requiring a specific "contract" of card combinations to be met.
The Pack
Two standard 52-card decks are used, plus four Jokers (108 cards total). Jokers and 2s are typically played as wild cards. The standard card ranking is K (high), Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, A (low, though Aces can sometimes be played high or low depending on local house rules).
The Deal
The dealer gives out the cards one at a time face down, beginning with the player on the left. The number of cards dealt depends entirely on the round:
Rounds 1 through 4: Each player receives 10 cards.
Rounds 5 through 7: Each player receives 12 cards.
The remaining cards are placed face down on the table, forming the stock. The top card of the stock is turned face up and becomes the upcard, placed next to the stock to start the discard pile. The deal passes to the next player on the left after each round.
Object of the Game
The object of each round is to be the first to form and lay down specific matched sets, known as "contracts," and eventually get rid of all your cards. Matched sets consist of groups (three or four cards of the same rank) or sequences (four or more consecutive cards of the same suit). The required contracts for the seven rounds are:
Round 1: Two groups of 3 (6 cards total)
Round 2: One group of 3 and one sequence of 4 (7 cards total)
Round 3: Two sequences of 4 (8 cards total)
Round 4: Three groups of 3 (9 cards total)
Round 5: Two groups of 3 and one sequence of 4 (10 cards total)
Round 6: One group of 3 and two sequences of 4 (11 cards total)
Round 7: Three sequences of 4 (12 cards total; must go down and out completely on this turn with no remaining cards or discard)
The Play
Beginning with the player to the left of the dealer, players turn by turn either draw the top card of the stock or take the top card of the discard pile.
The "May I?" Rule: If it is not your turn, and you want the top card of the discard pile, you can yell "May I!". If the player whose actual turn it is does not want it, you may take that discard card. However, as a penalty for buying out of turn, you must also draw two extra penalty cards from the stock. The turn then resumes normally with the current active player drawing from the stock.
Once a player draws, they may lay down the required contract for that round if they hold it all in their hand. To end their turn, they must discard one card face up onto the discard pile.
Laying Off
A player may only add cards to existing sets on the table after they have successfully laid down their own initial contract for that round. Once your contract is on the table, you may add matching cards from your hand to your own sets or to any opponent’s matched sets already shown on the table.
Going Out
When a player gets rid of all the cards in their hand, they win the round and play ends immediately. In rounds 1 through 6, you may go out by discarding your final card or playing it to the table. In the final 7th round ("Splash Down"), you must be able to lay your entire hand down at once with zero remaining cards and no final discard. If the stock pile runs out before anyone goes out, the discard pile is flipped over (without shuffling) to create a new stock.
How to Keep Score
Unlike standard Rummy where you want high points, the goal in May I is to finish the seven rounds with the lowest cumulative score. The player who goes out scores 0 points for the round. All other players add up the penalty value of the cards left behind in their hands:
Jokers: 50 points each
Aces and 2s (Wilds): 20 points each (or 15 depending on variation)
Face Cards (K, Q, J): 10 points each
Number Cards (3-10): Worth face/pip value
The player with the lowest score at the end of the seven rounds wins the game.