Are you ready to dive into an intricate game of strategy with “Rummikub?” This game, which blends rummy, mahjong and dominoes, is sure to keep you hooked.
The story of Rummikub began in Romania in the 1930s, during the country’s communist regime, when card games were banned as an indulgence. Ephraim Hertzano, a Romanian-born Jew and toothbrush manufacturer, had access to plastics and used them to create colored tiles that would act as playing cards in a rummy-like game. Initially, Hertzano only made the game for his friends, but after immigrating to Israel with his family after World War II, he began to sell it more widely, and Rummikub was born. Today, Rummikub has become a worldwide sensation, with millions of players. There’s even the Rummikub World Championships, held every three years.
The game is designed for two to four players and requires a Rummikub set. This comprises 104 tiles with numbers and colors (number one to thirteen in four different colors, two sets of each), and two joker tiles that can substitute for any number or color. At the beginning of the game, each player starts with 14 tiles, and the remaining tiles are placed in a pool for drawing. Players take turns drawing tiles. The objective of Rummikub is to be the first player to get rid of all of their tiles. Only by forming sets and runs can players win the game. Sets consist of three or four tiles of the same number but different colors, while runs consist of three or more tiles of the same color in numerical order. The game’s unique feature is that players can manipulate existing sets and runs on the table to create new combinations, which adds a layer of strategy and complexity not found in other tile-based games.
Photo courtesy of Freepik / 照片：Freepik 提供
Overall, Rummikub is a fun and challenging game that requires a combination of luck and skill. Its popularity has continued to grow since its creation. So, if you’re looking for a new game to try out with your family or friends, Rummikub is definitely worth a shot.
你準備好隨著「拉密」一起投入到一場複雜的策略遊戲了嗎？這款將拉米紙牌、麻將和多米諾骨牌混合的遊戲，絕對會讓你著迷不已。
拉密的故事始於西元1940年代的羅馬尼亞，當時該國正處於共產主義的政權下，紙牌遊戲被視為易沈溺的嗜好而遭到禁止。羅馬尼亞出生的猶太人Ephraim Hertzano是一位牙刷製造商，他有方法取得塑膠材料，並運用這些材料製作了彩色的方塊，在類似拉米紙牌的遊戲中充當遊戲牌。起初，Hertzano只是為他的朋友們製作這款遊戲，但二戰後，隨著他與家人移民到以色列，他開始更廣泛地銷售這款遊戲，於是拉密就此誕生。如今，拉密已成為全球的熱門遊戲，擁有數百萬的玩家。甚至每三年舉行一次拉密世界錦標賽。
這款遊戲專為兩到四位玩家設計，需要一套拉密牌具。這套牌具包含104張帶有數字和顏色的牌（分別是四種不同顏色的數字一到十三，每種顏色兩組），以及兩張可以代替任何數字或顏色的百搭鬼牌。遊戲開始時，每位玩家手上有14張牌，其餘的牌則放在抽牌池中供抽取。玩家輪流抽牌。拉密的目標是成為第一個把所有牌出完的玩家。只有通過組合群組和順組，玩家才能贏得遊戲。群組由三或四張同數字但不同顏色的牌來組成，而順組則是由三張或更多張同色且按數字順序排列的牌來組成。這款遊戲的特色在於玩家可以操控桌面上已有的群組和順組來創造新的組合，這增加了一層策略和複雜度，在其他方塊遊戲中是找不到的。
總歸來說，拉密是一個既有趣且具挑戰性的遊戲，需要運氣和技巧的結合。自它被創造以來，它的受歡迎程度不斷增長。因此，如果你正在尋找一款新的遊戲來和家人或朋友一起玩，拉密絕對值得一試。
MORE INFORMATION
intricate adj. 複雜的；錯綜複雜的
rummy n. 拉密紙牌
mahjong n. 麻將
domino n. 多米諾骨牌
Romania n. 羅馬尼亞
regime n. 政權；政體
indulgence n. 放縱；沉迷
Jew n. 猶太人；猶太教徒
numerical adj. 數字的；以數字表示的
KEY VOCABULARY
1. hooked adj. 著迷的；上癮的
be / get hooked on N 對……著迷；對……上癮
Bob got hooked on playing video games and spent all his free time on them.
鮑伯沉迷於玩電動遊戲，把所有的空閒時間都耗在這上面。
2. tile n. 棋牌；瓦片；瓷磚
In the game of Scrabble, players use tiles with letters on them to form words on the board.
在拼字遊戲 Scrabble 中，玩家使用印有字母的牌在圖版上組成單詞。
3. communist adj. 共產主義的；共產黨（政府）的
In a communist society, the government owns and controls all the means of production.
在共產主義社會中，政府擁有並控制所有的生產資源。
4. immigrate vi. 遷移；遷入
My grandparents immigrated to the United States from Italy in the early 1900s.
我的祖父母在西元 20 世紀初從義大利移民到美國。
5. sensation n. 轟動；感覺
The new fashion line has caused a sensation in the industry with its unique designs.
這款新的時裝系列以其獨特的設計在業界造成轟動。
6. comprise vt. 包含；組成 = consist of 由……組成；包含
The exhibition comprises photographs and paintings from local artists. 這場展覽包括了當地藝術家的攝影和繪畫作品。
7. objective n. 目標；目的
The objective of the project is to improve public transportation in the city. 這項專案的目標是改善城市的大眾運輸。
8. combination n. 組合；聯合
The chef created a delicious dessert with a combination of fresh fruit and cream.
這名主廚用新鮮水果與鮮奶油的組合製作出一道美味的甜點。
9. creation n. 創造（物）；作品
The creation of the Internet has fundamentally changed the way we communicate.
網路的出現徹底改變了我們溝通的方式。
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