Rummikub joker clarification

Question

I have laid my initial meld. On my next turn , I notice a joker in play that I can replace with a tile I have to form a run with 2 tiles that I am holding. I am unable to lay anything without the joker being in my possession. Can the initial 'move' of my turn be to swap the joker tile? It seems logical to me that, if I can't lay anything, then I can't go and should therefore just pick up a tile. Thoughts?

Answer 1

Once you've played your initial meld, retrieving and replaying the joker is only limited by the requirement to play it within the same turn it was retrieved.

This ensures the player has a play to make, and could be thought of as analogous to removing a fourth tile from a set to make a new set.

There are two jokers in the game. Each joker can be used as any tile in a set, and its number and color are that of the tile needed to complete the set. On future turns, a joker can be retrieved from a set on the table by a player who can replace it during his/her turn with any tiles that can keep the set legitimate. This tile can come from the table or from a player’s rack. In the case of a group of three tiles, the joker can be replaced by a tile of either of the missing colors. When a player retrieves a joker, the joker will once again have any value or color. However, a player who retrieves a joker must play the joker on his/her current turn to make a new set, and must also use at least one tile from his/her rack on that turn (just as on any other turn). A player cannot retrieve a joker before s/he has played his/her initial meld.