The Complete Handbook of Rummy: Origins, Variations, Regulations, and More The card game rummy has been a favorite for centuries & has a long history dating back to the early 1800s. Its origins are a little unclear, but scalendar with time slotsome theories contend that it may have developed from earlier games like the Spanish game "Conquian" or the Chinese game "Dominoes.". A game that resembled rummy was first mentioned in writing in the United States in the 1900s, & it soon became well-liked by the local populace. In the beginning, the game was played using a standard deck of cards and involved creating melds, which are combinations of cards that can be either runs or sets.