What are tiplu, poplu and jhiplu in Marriage?

The tiplu is a card chosen at random each hand that becomes the master wild card. The poplu is the card one rank above the tiplu in the same suit, and the jhiplu is the card one rank below it in the same suit. Together these three are the maal cards you score points for collecting.

How is maal scored in Marriage?

You earn maal points just for holding the special cards, whether or not they are in a completed group. A tiplu is worth 3 points, a poplu and a jhiplu are 2 points each, and ordinary jokers (other suits of the tiplu's rank) are 1 point each. Holding a tiplu, poplu and jhiplu together is a 'marriage' and scores a 10-point bonus.

How many cards and decks does Marriage use?

Marriage is played with three standard 52-card decks shuffled together (156 cards) and works best with 2 to 5 players. Each player is dealt 21 cards, which is why it is often called 21-card rummy.

How do you declare and win in Marriage?

After the tiplu is revealed, you arrange all 21 cards into valid sequences, sets and tunnelas, then declare by placing a final card face down and showing your hand. Winning combines finishing with your maal points, so a strong maal collector can come out ahead even if they finish second.

What is the difference between a sequence, a set and a tunnela?

A sequence is three or more consecutive cards of the same suit. A set is three cards of the same rank in different suits. A tunnela is three completely identical cards (same rank and suit), which is only possible because Marriage is played with three decks.

How to Play Marriage (21-Card Rummy)

Marriage is a fast, social rummy game from Nepal played with three full decks and 21 cards in hand. What sets it apart from ordinary rummy is the maal scoring system, built around a hidden wild card called the tiplu and its neighbours the poplu and jhiplu. This guide explains the deal, how the tiplu and maal cards work, what sequences and tunnelas you need, and exactly how to declare and win.

Marriage (also written "Marrige" or called 21-card rummy) is hugely popular in Nepal, Bhutan and the Nepali diaspora. It is best with 2 to 5 players and uses three standard 52-card decks shuffled together (156 cards). Each player is dealt 21 cards. The rest form a face-down stock, with one card turned up to start the discard pile. As in all rummy, on your turn you draw one card (from the stock or the discard pile) and then discard one, keeping your hand at 21.

The goal: sequences, sets and tunnelas

Your aim is to arrange all 21 cards into valid combinations of three or more cards. There are three kinds of group:

Sequence (run): three or more consecutive cards of the same suit, such as 5-6-7 of hearts.
Set (trail): three cards of the same rank in different suits, such as three 9s.
Tunnela: three identical cards, same rank and same suit, such as three 8 of spades. This is only possible because Marriage uses three decks.

A pure sequence contains no wild cards. As in most rummy variants, you must build pure combinations before you are allowed to use wild cards to complete the rest of your hand.

Tiplu, poplu and jhiplu: the maal cards

This is the heart of Marriage. After the deal, the wild cards are not fixed yet. They are decided by the tiplu, a single card chosen at random during the hand. Once the tiplu is known:

The tiplu itself is the master wild card. Every card of the same rank in the other three suits becomes an ordinary joker (a regular wild).
The poplu is the card one rank above the tiplu in the same suit.
The jhiplu is the card one rank below the tiplu in the same suit.

For example, if the tiplu is the 7 of hearts, then the 8 of hearts is the poplu, the 6 of hearts is the jhiplu, and all other 7s are ordinary jokers. Together the tiplu, poplu and jhiplu are called maal ("goods" or "wealth"), and they are what you score points for collecting.

How maal points are scored

Maal points are separate from finishing your hand. You earn them simply for holding these special cards, whether or not they sit in a completed group. The standard values are:

Tiplu: 3 points each.
Poplu: 2 points each.
Jhiplu: 2 points each.
Ordinary joker (same rank as tiplu, other suits): 1 point each.
Marriage: holding one tiplu, one poplu and one jhiplu together is a "marriage" and is worth 10 points as a bonus, on top of the cards' individual value.

Because the game uses three decks, you can collect multiple tiplus, poplus and jhiplus, and even multiple marriages, so maal totals can climb quickly. This is why a player can sometimes lose the race to finish but still come out ahead on points.

Revealing the tiplu and the primary round

At the start, the tiplu is hidden, so nobody knows the wild cards yet. The primary round is the race to reveal it. The first player to collect three pure sequences or tunnelas (often called a "tunnela" or pure-show requirement) lays them face up, then draws a card unseen from the middle of the stock to set the tiplu for everyone. From that moment, the maal cards are defined and players can use wilds.

A player who completes their primary round before seeing the tiplu is "unseen" and scores at a higher rate; a player who only completes it after the tiplu is exposed is "seen." Many groups also play with dublees (pairs): collecting a full set of identical pairs is an alternative way to complete the primary round.

Declaring and winning

Once the tiplu is out, players race to arrange all 21 cards into valid sequences, sets and tunnelas, using wild cards to fill gaps. To declare, you finish a turn with a fully grouped hand, place your final card face down on the discard pile, and lay your hand out for everyone to verify. A valid full show ends the hand.

Crucially, finishing is not the only path to victory. At the end of a hand, players settle up on the difference in maal points, plus penalties for players who never finished their primary round. A player who declares wins the "game" bonus, but the final standings combine both finishing and maal, so a heavy maal collector can profit even against the first finisher. House rules vary on exact payments and on variants like "murder," where the maal of players still stuck in the primary round does not count.

Quick tips for beginners

In the primary round, prioritise pure sequences and tunnelas so you can be the one to set the tiplu.
Hold likely maal cards (cards adjacent in the same suit) since any of them could become poplu or jhiplu.
Once the tiplu is known, use ordinary jokers to complete sets, and keep maal cards even if they do not slot neatly into a group.
Watch the discard pile: picking up maal others throw away is an easy way to build points.

If you enjoy Marriage, try its close cousin Indian Rummy (13-card Paplu) or the two-player classic Gin Rummy. For more meld-and-build games, Canasta and Conquian use similar set-building ideas.

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