Mystery Rummy Case No. 1: Jack the Ripper can be thought of as two games in one: a Rummy card game and a Ripper Escapes game. Compartmentalizing the strategies of each game may help you when learning how to play.

Rummy Game

The cards that will aid you in playing your Rummy game are the Evidence cards, Wild Evidence cards, Letters Evidence cards, Suspect Gavel cards, and Alibi Gavel cards. The Evidence cards are played as melds and layoffs, which gain points for your score.

The Suspect and Alibi cards will add to your points, supplementing your meld points. The interesting part of this dual game strategy is that all the cards in the game will help your Rummy game, while some of them also help the Ripper Escapes game

Evidence Cards Summary

Evidence cards have a magnifying glass in the upper left corner of the card. You may play as many Evidence cards as you want per turn as long as you play them in melds (three or more identical cards), or play them as a layoff to a meld already in play.

All Evidence cards you play go in your play area, even when played as layoffs on other players' melds. Their points may be doubled if that Suspect is identified as the Ripper when the hand ends. They may end up scoring no points if the Ripper Escapes.

Wild Cards

These two Evidence cards can be used as any other Evidence card except Letters. You may use a Wild Card to make a new meld of three or more evidence cards or you may use it to duplicate another evidence card already in play in front of you as a layoff.

You can never play a Wild Card without matching to another card in play in your area. The Wild Card acts as an evidence card for all purposes including scoring.

Letters

These are special Evidence cards that do not apply to any suspect. They are their own meld. Each Letter is worth three points because with only four cards available, it is a more challenging meld to achieve. The points for Letters never double.

Gavel Cards Summary

Only one of these cards may be played per turn. (Although some- times the playing of a gavel will lead to the playing of more gavels during your turn as with Ripper Strikes and Scene cards).

There are two types of Gavel cards; ones that link to Evidence (Suspect & Alibi) and ones that help the Ripper Escape. The latter provide

the game with more action and strategy. Gavel cards are played alone, not in melds. Some Gavels are played onto the table and some are played into Scotland Yard. Read each card for an explanation on how to play that card.

Suspect Cards

You play these Gavel cards on the table in your play area. They may only be played when there is a meld of Evidence cards of the same color already in play. For example, you cannot play the Druitt Suspect card until there is a Druitt Evidence meld already in play.

(Note: A Suspect card cannot be included or used to make an Evidence meld).

The points on a Suspect card are added to the Evidence cards to determine who the Ripper is at the end of a hand. These points also get doubled if the Suspect turns out to be the Ripper. There does not need to be a Suspect card in play for that Suspect to be the Ripper.

Alibi Cards

These Gavel cards can only be played when there is a meld of Evidence cards of the same color already in play. For example, you cannot play the Pedachenko Alibi card until there is a Pedachenko Evidence meld in play. The Alibi card is played on

card gets played. There can only be one Alibi card in play at a time. When one is played, any previously played Alibi card is put into Scotland Yard (the discard pile). The Alibi card keeps that suspect from being the Ripper even if they have the most points on the table.

There is one special Alibi card that can apply to either Prince Eddy or Sir Gull. When it is put into play, the player announces which suspect it is being applied to and points the matching color toward the center of the table.

Ripper Escapes Game

This is the more intricate part of the game. But once you master the strategy behind this aspect of game play, your enjoyment of the game will increase immensely.

The cards that will assist the Ripper Escapes Game are Victim Gavel cards, Ripper Escapes card, Ripper Strikes Gavel card, Commissioner Resigns Gavel card, and the Scene Gavel card. These cards all help bring Victim cards to the table, which allows the Ripper to escape. This is a very difficult thing to accomplish, which is why there are so many different cards that can help.

Gavel Cards

(apply to both Rummy and Ripper Escapes aspect of game)

These cards have a gavel in the upper left corner. Only one of these cards can be played per turn. (Although sometimes the playing of a gavel will lead to the playing of more gavels during your turn as with Ripper Strikes and Scene cards).

There are two types of Gavel cards; ones that link to Evidence (Suspect & Alibi) and ones that help the Ripper Escape. The latter provide the game with more action and strategy. Gavel cards are played alone, not in melds. Some Gavels are played onto the table and some are played into Scotland Yard. Read each card for a reminder on how to play.

A Victim card must be in play in order for players to begin playing Evidence melds. Anyone can play Evidence on another player's Victim card. When playing a Victim card, place it on the table in your play area. Check to see if the Scene card of the same color is in play.

If it is, take that card and place it in front of you as well. These points now count toward your score. Draw the top two cards from the Case File and put them in your hand. This also benefits your Rummy game. When all five Victim cards are in play, this allows play of the Ripper Escapes card.

Ripper Escapes

If played, this card is worth 35 points. It's not a Gavel card or an Evidence card. You may play this card immediately as soon as the fifth Victim card comes in to play. It does not need to be your turn to play it.

As soon as the Ripper Escapes card is played, the hand ends. As described under Commissioner Resigns, even if a player has to place his last card in play (because it is a Victim card) and all five Victims are now in play, you have a chance to play the Ripper Escapes card before the hand ends.

If not played and a player is left holding the Ripper Escapes card at the end of a hand, he must deduct two points for each Victim card in play. (This is the one case when you do not deduct the card's point value from your score, using this special scoring instead. It is NOT -35 points).

Ripper Strikes

This is a Gavel card. When you play it, put it on top of Scotland Yard (Discard Pile) and announce that the Ripper Strikes. While making sure that all players can see, start turning over five cards from the Case File into Scotland Yard until you get a Victim card.

If you get to a Victim card before you reach the fifth card, stop turning cards over immediately. Play the Victim card in your play area and then draw two cards from the Case File just as if you were playing the Victim card from your hand. Also, check to see

if the Scene card of the same color is in play and if so, add it to your play area as well. This ends the play of the Ripper Strikes card. If you don't get a Victim card, you stop after turning over the fifth card and play continues as normal.

Commissioner Resigns

This is a Gavel card. When you play it, place it on top of Scotland Yard (Discard Pile) and announce that the Commissioner has resigned. All players (including you) must immediately put any victim cards they have in their hands on the table in front of them.

You do not get to draw cards when you are forced to play Victim cards by a Commissioner Resigns card. Matching Scenes are taken as normal. (See Scene Cards for more details). If this causes a player to put their last card into play, the hand ends at the end of the current player's turn.

If all five Victim cards are in play after a Commissioner Resigns card forces you to play your last card, you must pause to see if someone will play the Ripper Escapes card before declaring the end of the hand.

Scene Cards

These are Gavel cards. Place the Scene card on the table in your play area when you play it. Check to see if the Victim card of the same color is in play. If it is, you take that card and place it in front of you in your play area as well.

Pick up Scotland Yard and look through it without showing it to the other players. You must choose one card and show that card to all players. (The only cards you cannot take are other Scene cards). If you take a Gavel card you may play it immediately or put it in your hand; once you put it in your hand you must wait until your next turn to play it.

If you take an Evidence card from Scotland Yard, you can play it at any time during that turn (if it is playable). If you don't want to (or can't) play the card you get, simply put it in your hand after showing it to all players, and finish your turn.

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