13-card, 5 to 500
First-drop at 20, middle-drop at 40. The cheapest table on the menu and the right table to learn the show mechanic.
Format ledger · Adult readers
The five rummy formats, named once, with the stake ladder that fits each.
Format selection is the cheapest decision a player can make. Pick the format with the lowest exit-friction for the time you have; the stake ladder is a secondary axis.
Chapter 01 · Format ledger
Points, Pool, Deals, 201, 13-card.
Each format trades pace for variance. Read once, pick by the time you have, not by the stake you want.
| Format | Decision cycle | Drop penalty | Stake ladder | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Points | One deal | Middle drop = 40 | 10 to 5,000 | Quick practice rounds |
| Pool | Until one survivor | Pool drop = 40 | 50 to 10,000 | Longer sessions, multi-table |
| Deals | Two or three fixed deals | Chips carry forward | 100 to 50,000 | Structured play with friends |
| 201 Pool | 201-point cap | Half = 25 | 25 to 1,000 | Quick elimination |
| 13-card | Standard 13, multi-deck | First drop = 20 | 5 to 500 | Beginner tables |
Chapter 02 · Stake ladder
Pick the smallest stake ladder that keeps the table honest.
The stake ladder is a sanity check. If the smallest table is too rich for the night, the format is wrong.
201 Pool, 25 to 1,000
Drop at half is 25, drop at full is 50. Matches the public rulebook and the most common room default.
Pool, 50 to 10,000
Survivor format. Pool drop is 40. Longer session, multi-table, and the one with the deepest variance.