The Complete Guide to Rummy: Background, Variations, Strategies, and More The card game rummy has a long history dating back to the early 1800s and has enthralled playerscats slots for centuries. Its beginnings are a little unclear, but some theories contend that it might have developed from earlier games like the Spanish game "Conquian" or the Chinese game "Dominoes.". In the United States, a game that resembled rummy was first mentioned in writing in the 1900s, & it soon became well-liked by the local populace.