Gin Rummy
Last reviewed · CardLore editorial
Gin Rummy is a two-player game of collecting. You are arranging ten cards into melds — runs of the same suit or sets of the same rank — and shedding whatever does not fit. The leftovers are called deadwood, and the player who reduces their deadwood first and says so takes the points.
Each turn is simply draw one card, discard one card. The whole game sits in those two choices, because every card you take from the discard pile tells your opponent what you are building, and every card you throw may be exactly what they need.
- Players
- 2
- Cards each
- 10
- Deck
- 52 cards
- Game to
- 100 points
Melds, deadwood and card values
A meld is three or more cards that belong together. There are two kinds and a card can only be in one of them at a time.
- A set — three or four cards of the same rank, such as 7♠ 7♥ 7♣.
- A run — three or more cards in sequence in the same suit, such as 5♦ 6♦ 7♦.
Anything that is not part of a meld is deadwood, and deadwood is what you are scored on.
What each card is worth as deadwood
| Card | Value |
|---|---|
| Ace | 1 point |
| Two to ten | Face value |
| Jack, queen, king | 10 points each |
Order of play
- Deal ten cards eachTwo players, one standard deck. Ten cards to each player, the next card face up to start the discard pile, the rest face down as the stock.
- Decide on the first up-cardThe non-dealer may take the face-up card or pass; if both pass, the non-dealer draws from the stock and normal play begins.
- Draw one cardOn your turn, take either the top card of the stock or the top card of the discard pile. You now hold eleven cards.
- Discard one cardPlace one card face up on the discard pile, returning to ten. A card drawn from the discard pile may not be discarded on the same turn.
- Knock when your deadwood is low enoughAfter discarding you may knock if your unmatched cards total ten points or fewer. Lay your hand down, melds first, deadwood separate.
- Score the handThe opponent lays off what they can against your melds, then the two deadwood totals are compared and points are awarded.
Knocking, going gin and undercutting
Ending a hand is a decision, not an event. Three endings are possible and they score very differently.
How a hand ends
| Ending | Condition | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Knock | Deadwood of 10 points or fewer | Difference between the two deadwood totals |
| Gin | All ten cards melded, no deadwood | Difference plus a 25-point bonus |
| Undercut | Opponent’s deadwood equals or beats the knocker’s | Opponent takes the difference plus a 25-point bonus |
The undercut is what makes knocking a real decision. Knocking with ten points of deadwood when your opponent has been drawing from the discard pile all game invites them to lay down eight and take the bonus from you. Knocking early with two or three points is safe; knocking late with ten is a gamble.
When a knock is not gin, the opponent may also lay off: adding their own deadwood cards onto your melds, which removes those points from their total. A knocker with a run of 5-6-7 in diamonds can expect the 4♦ and the 8♦ to disappear from the other player’s deadwood.
Scoring the game
- Hands are played until one player reaches 100 points.
- The winner of the game adds a game bonus, commonly 100 points.
- Each hand won adds a line bonus of 25 points to that player’s total.
- A player who wins every hand of the game doubles the final score, a result called a shutout or schneider.
House scoring varies more than the rules of play do. Agree the bonuses before the first deal.
Rules that catch people out
- One meld per card. The 7♦ can be in a set of sevens or a run of diamonds, never both at once.
- No discarding what you just drew. A card taken from the discard pile must stay in your hand for at least one turn.
- Gin cannot be undercut. If the knocker has no deadwood, the opponent may not lay off and takes the full penalty.
- Running out of stock. If only two cards remain in the stock and the player does not knock, the hand is a draw and is redealt.
- Knocking is optional. You may keep playing for gin with low deadwood, and against a cautious opponent that is often correct.
Terminology
- Meld
- A set of matching ranks or a run of consecutive cards in one suit.
- Deadwood
- Cards that are not part of any meld, and the points they are worth.
- Knock
- To end the hand with ten or fewer deadwood points.
- Gin
- To end the hand with every card melded, worth a bonus.
- Undercut
- Ending with deadwood equal to or lower than the knocker’s, which reverses the score.
- Lay off
- Adding your deadwood to the knocker’s melds to reduce your own total.
- Stock
- The face-down pile that players draw from.
Common questions
Can Gin Rummy be played by more than two people?
The classic game is for two. Three can play with one person sitting out each hand, and four usually play as two pairs in separate two-handed games with combined scores.
Is the ace high or low?
Low, always. It is worth one point as deadwood and forms runs only at the bottom of a suit.
Must I knock as soon as I can?
No. Knocking is optional at any deadwood total of ten or fewer, and playing on for gin is often worth the risk when your opponent has taken few cards from the discard pile.
What is the difference between Gin Rummy and Rummy?
In standard Rummy players lay melds on the table during play and may add to anyone’s. In Gin Rummy everything stays hidden until the hand ends, which is why the discard pile carries so much information.