Meld (cards)

A series of melds: a set of four queens, a run of A♣ 2♣ 3♣ and a run of 5♥ 6♥ 7♥

In card games, a meld is a set of matching cards, typically three or more, that earn a player points and/or allow them to deplete their hand.[1] Melds typically come in sequences of ascending cards belonging to the same suit known as runs (8♠ 9♠ 10♠) or sets/groups of cards of identical rank (8♠ 8♣ 8♥). Other ones may be marriage (e.g. K♥ and Q♥) and bezique (Q♠ and J♦).

Melding is typical in games of the rummy family, such as canasta and gin.[2]

It is also used in other games such as mahjong.[3] Melds are also made in some trick-taking games, such as pinochle and bezique.[4]

  1. ^ "Card Games: Rummy Games". pagat.com.
  2. ^ Parlett (2008), pp. 489, 496 and 518.
  3. ^ Brown, Seth. The Little Book of Mahjong, 2018.
  4. ^ Parlett (2008), pp. 287-291, 295-296.