The Everlasting Allure of Rummy: An Extensive Examination Rummy, a popular card game played by millions of people worldwide, has a long and illustrious history that begins in the early 1800s. Its origins are a little unclear, but some theories contend that rummi olait may have developed from earlier games like the Chinese game Mahjong or the Mexican game Conquian, which is played with a Spanish deck. Known as "Rum," the game that resembled rummy was first mentioned in writing in the United States in the 1840s. The competitive nature of the game is reflected in this name, which is thought to have been derived from the slang term for "to cheat.". As it grew in popularity, rummy made its way across the Atlantic and became a mainstay at family game nights and social events.