A number of different variations of Kalooki are played throughout the world. There is one type that is quite popular. Though this variety of game is also called Kalooki, it is entirely different from the Kalooki that is played in North America or Europe. Actually, it is very similar to the popular game Contract Rummy.

Jamaican Kalooki is usually played with 3 to 6 players, while tournaments have 4 players. The game is played with two 52-card decks, each containing four jokers. The goal is the same as in other type of Kalooki -- to lay down your entire hand ahead of your opponents. But the penalties that are imposed for holding cards are different. The point values are: Jokers are 50 points, black Aces are 15 points, Kings, Queens, and Jacks and 10s are 10 points, cards numbered 2 through 9 are valued at face value, and the red Aces are worth 1 point.

In the game, the melds are known as 'threes' and 'fours.' A set of cards in the same rank, for example all 10's or all Queens, is called a "three". The cards do not need to be the same suit; you are permitted to have duplicates. A "four" consists of four consecutive cards all from the same suit. Aces can be used either as a high card or a low card, but cannot be used in the middle of a run. For example, you can have A, 2, 3 but you can never have K, A, 2.

In the game of Jamaican rummy, the jokers can be used to replace any card in a three or four, but in a “four” the jokers are not allowed to be used for sequential cards. As an example, you might hold a 3, 4 and a Joker, but you can't have a 3,6 and two Jokers. The jokers can only be used one at a time. If you are using a joker to make a "three," you must also use at least two cards that are not jokers. For example, you may have two queens and a joker, but not two jokers and only one queen. The players are never allowed to reuse jokers or remove them from melds. The only exception is in a four, where a joker is allowed to be moved within the meld by the player replacing it with the card represented by the joker. You can never move it to another three or four.

The major distinction in this variation of Kalooki arises at the time when the players get the opportunity to deal or share the cards. The person who will deal first is selected at random. Nine deals or games comprise a set, and the person who has the lowest number of points at the end of a set is the winner. Cards are dealt one at a time, and how many cards are dealt depends on the game and the number of "deals" you have already made. The next card is turned over to start the discard pile, and the cards that are left are placed face down beside it. You must open by satisfying a "contract" or minimum number of threes and fours. What this means is you will need to open with a pre-determined amount of melds, which includes both threes and fours.

This is the amount per game:

Game Number Cards Dealt Contract
1 9 3 threes
2 10 2 threes
3 11 2 fours, 1 three
4 12 3 fours
5 12 4 threes
6 13 3 threes, 1 four
7 14 2 three, 2 fours
8 15 1 three, 3 fours
9 16 4 fours

When someone lays down in more than one four, it is must be in another suit. If you lay down more than one three, they cannot both be from the same rank. Beginning with the person sitting to the left of the dealer, the play moves clockwise. When your turn comes, draw a card from the stock or from the discard pile, lay down cards if you wish, and discard any card of your choice, except a joker, face up.

If you have not yet completed your initial quota and you wish to pick a card that was thrown away by another player and you are not the one to play next, you are allowed to “call” the card. The next player has two options. They could permit the call, which would mean that they give you the top discard. Then you need to also pull out another card from the stockpile, but you are not permitted to put down or throw away the card. Your hand will now have two extra cards. The play is then awarded to the person who was interrupted as a result of the call, who plays in the usual way. If they decide to refuse the call, they can take the discarded card. The call is then meaningless and play resumes.

Sometimes more than one player tries to call a card at the same time. It will go to the first player who calls it, unless the next player refuses to allow it. You are only allowed one call during each turn. You are not allowed to call any card that is beneath the first called card. You can call only three times in each game. You are also not allowed to call after laying your cards down.

Once you lay your hand down, you cannot take any more cards from the discard pile. You need to take from the stock pile. If your turn is interrupted by another person calling a card, you must allow the call without fail. You can then proceed to lay down more cards either in the same turn or in the turns coming after your initial contract. You can also add to your threes or fours, known as tacking on cards.

You are not allowed to discard jokers at any time during the play. Players are allowed to use them in threes and fours, so you might as well hang on to them. When a player has placed his last card in the discard pile and has no more cards to play, the others total up the value of their cards they still hold. They then add this up with the accumulated penalty points that they have from earlier games. When a player goes out when they lay down their first card, this is called “bending the table” and it means the point values of the other players' hands are then doubled. After nine rounds, the lowest scoring player wins.