Frustration Rummy — Rules & how to play
Around the table · 2026 edition
Fourteen contracts, played in order. Complete yours, go out, and move toward the final contract.
Download printable rules (PDF)
At a glance
- Players: 2–4
- Play time: 60–90 minutes
- Ages: 10+
- Style: Family
- Plays with: Cards
Objective
Be the first to complete all fourteen contracts on the board in order.
Components
- Wooden game board
- Four marking pegs: one of each colour
- One small storage bag
- You also need two standard decks of cards, including jokers. Cards are not included in the box.
Setup
- Shuffle both decks together, jokers included. Deal thirteen cards to each player.
- Place the remainder face down as the draw pile and turn over one card to start the discard pile.
- Set each player’s peg on the first contract.
Jokers and 2s are wild. Aces may be high or low in a run.
The contracts
- Three sets of 3
- One set of 3 and a run of 4
- Two sets of 3 and a run of 4
- Two sets of 4
- Two runs of 4
- Four sets of 3
- One set of 3 and a run of 7
- Three sets of 4
- Three runs of 4
- Two sets of 5
- Two runs of 5
- Two sets of 4 and a run of 4
- Two runs of 4 and a set of 4
- One set of 3 and a run of 9
Taking a turn
- Draw the top card of the draw pile or discard pile.
- If you have everything required for your current contract, lay it down. Complete only one contract per round.
- Once your contract is down, add cards to any completed set or run on the table, including an opponent’s. You may also start extra sets of at least three or runs of at least four.
- Finish by discarding one card.
Runs must all be one suit. If the draw pile runs out, reshuffle the discard pile except its top card.
Wild cards
A set or run may not hold more wild cards than natural cards. Two 5s and a joker make a legal set of three; two jokers and one 5 do not. A 2 is always wild, even in its own run. The exception is a set entirely of 2s or entirely of jokers, which may be laid down.
Ending a round
The round ends when a player goes out after laying down their contract and discarding their last card. Everyone who completed their contract advances their peg to the next one; anyone who did not stays put. The player who went first deals the next round.
Winning
The first player to go out on contract fourteen wins.
Made in Canada · 2026 edition