The Complete Guide to Rummy: History, Gameplay, Variations, and More The card game rummy got its start in the early 19th century & has been a player favorite for centuries. The precise origins of Rummy are still somewhat unknown, but it is generally accepted that it welcome rummydeveloped from a number of earlier card games, such as the Chinese game "Kong," which involved combining cards to form runs and sets. With the advent of Gin Rummy in 1910—a faster-paced variation of classic Rummy—the game became increasingly popular in the US during the 1900s. It was widely accepted and enjoyed as a result of this adaptation, which also made the rules easier to understand for a wider audience. Rummy kept developing over time, giving rise to a wide range of variants that suited various tastes and playing styles.