rummikub? can you strip the black and red 10s away from a "10" wild tile, then add an 8 & 9 blue to the wild

Question

Say the wild tile is in a set of 3 tens, including the red and black tens.

I take the red ten a created a new set (series) red 10, 11 & 12; and a new set (series) black 10, 11 & 12.

I believe according to the rules, that I can now add a blue 8 & blue 9 to the (wild) joker -- a "10" -- to form a new set.

My sister -- kind, loving and gentle as she is -- went ballistic cause you can "only use the joker by REPLACING IT with a 10 tile from your hand and then ADDING 2 tile to it from your hand."

I really think her anger was because we never did, or talked about what I did, before, and she could have done it herself earlier but thought it was not "legal".

It's a great game for the whole family for those who aren't familiar.

and USUALLY without any squabbling.

check this official site

http://www.pressmantoys.com/instructions/instruct_rummikub.html

I'm looking at rules at the official site of the company that markets the game which seemws to allow the take away and the add that i am trying to do.

Answer 1

That's the way it's always been played at our house. A joker on the table is usable to create new sets on the table. In looking at the rules link (thanks!) I realize we've been playing the game tighter than the standard rules, which don't require you to name a color when using a joker in a 3 of a kind set.

From the rules link, the key sentence for you is here:

"A set containing a joker can have tiles added to it and can be split apart or have tiles removed from it."

I'd say by looking at the rules, you were definitely legit on the play and could even have used the joker to create another red or black set, since the joker is color neutral until played in a run.

Answer 2

You cannot take from a set/run that contains a wild. You can only replace the wild with the actual tile it represents, and then use the wild to form a new set/run.