by Marco

Rummy 500

The first Rummy 500 that actually works on phones.

LIVEGame

WEB

Play Rummy 500

What this project demonstrates

End-to-end product execution from concept to shipped experience
Interaction design under real-time constraints
Systems design and behavior tuning
Technical implementation and performance optimization
Visual polish and usability under pressure
Product judgment around scope, pacing, and feedback loops

Projects like this are part of my independent lab. They are here as proof of interaction design depth, systems thinking, technical execution, and the ability to ship polished products end to end.

Rummy 500 is one of those card games everyone knows but nobody has built properly for the web. Most implementations either ignore the rules (especially the critical "deepest card" rule when drawing from the discard pile) or the interface falls apart on a phone screen. This version gets both right.

The game engine is a complete, rule-accurate Rummy 500 implementation built in pure TypeScript. Sets, runs, layoffs onto opponent melds, proper Ace handling (high or low depending on context), the 25-point go-out bonus, and multi-round scoring up to 500 points. Every rule was tested against the official game rules, with a comprehensive test suite covering edge cases that most card games get wrong.

The AI opponent comes in three difficulty levels. Easy mode makes random decisions and holds melds longer than it should. Medium plays strategically, evaluating card value and avoiding moves that help the opponent. Hard mode tracks discards, plays optimally, and punishes mistakes. The AI runs through the same game engine as the human player, so it follows every rule exactly.

What took six months was the UX. Drag and drop works on touch screens using gesture recognition. Cards fan properly at any hand size. Melds display clearly even on a 4-inch screen. Animations give feedback without slowing down gameplay. The interface uses a glassmorphic design language with smooth Framer Motion transitions that make the game feel polished rather than functional.

The game ships as a Progressive Web App. Add it to your home screen and it runs full-screen like a native app. It also builds as a desktop app through Electron and as an iOS app through Capacitor, all from the same codebase.