Although it's hard to say exactly when it happened, it's generally accepted that games like the Chinese game Mahjong and the Mexican game Conquian are the ancestors of Rummy. Numerous adaptationswww.teen patti gold.com were made to these games as they traveled across continents, giving rise to the different varieties of Rummy that are played today. The Ascent of Rummy. As people looked for inexpensive entertainment during the Great Depression, the game became increasingly popular in the US in the 1930s & 1940s. As rummy developed further, it became a mainstay at family game nights and social events.